To achieve the accord, the British government retreated from an earlier pledge and conceded that European Union citizens who arrived in Britain during the transition period would have the same rights as those already in the country.
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Scottish Tories are also furious at this and protestors have labelled it a “potential death sentence” for the United Kingdom fishing industry.
That reflects discussions among member states, including Spain – concerned its British-owned national flag carrier Iberia might suffer on intra-EU routes – and Finland and others, who have raised worries about their airports’ role as layovers between London and Asia.
The UK has said it had secured a number of improvements to the text, including an explicit reference to Gibraltar being covered by the agreement and the creation of a joint committee to oversee the process.
Ian Wright, FDF director general, described the progress as “positive”, particularly in relation to “citizens’ rights, and a time-limited transition period”. May needs to deliver a strong deal on trade and start work on other trade agreements that will come into force at the end of the Brexit transition in order to protect her governing coalition.
Ministers say this period – which will last for 21 months and end on December 31, 2020 – is needed to give business certainty.
Davis, the UK Brexit Secretary, said the transition agreement, which is conditional on both sides agreeing a final withdrawal treaty, would smooth the path to a future permanent relationship. The Bank of England, which has also stressed the importance of a transition deal, had no comment.
What would happen without it?
Our relationship would fall back on the rules set up by the World Trade Organisation, which business say would be extremely costly and damaging to them, which is why they have lobbied so hard for a transitional agreement.
She said that the transition period will allow businesses to feel confident that they do not need to double file their trademarks and designs at the EUIPO and the UK Intellectual Property Office.
How long will it last?
This agreement, if it holds, allows Theresa May to begin negotiations on a trading agreement with the EU.
“So, I should make it clear today that I will not support a deal as we leave the European Union which, over the long-term, fails to deliver that full control over fish stocks and vessel access”.
THE Irish border remains the biggest sticking point.
In a sign of Tory unease about the reaction to the deal, Theresa May met MPs with fishing ports in their seats to explain the Government’s approach.
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There has been little movement on Brexit thus far because the government largely haven’t been able to decide what they wanted and throughout the first stage faced the same problems, first, it was the fee, then it was European Union citizens rights and lastly, the Good Friday Agreement. The UK government has to steer a hard course, as too many concessions risks angering pro-Brexit groups within its parliamentary party, while at the same time trying to satisfy business and economic needs for alignment and open trade with the EU.
