On 28 April 2021, the EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement was ratified by European lawmakers with 660 votes in favor, 5 against, and 32 abstentions. The document came into force on 1 May. The ratification concludes the years-long Brexit process and brings new opportunities for future EU-UK close collaboration.
The Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA), recently ratified by the European Parliament, was approved by the UK months ago and has been provisionally applied since December 31, 2020. The Agreement sets out the rules for cooperation covering areas such as trade and security and also sets out elements concerning the provision of healthcare to travelers and newcomer expatriate pensioners as well as the latter’s UK public pensions.
The ratification, which ends four years of shambolic negotiations, evoked stormy reactions with some welcoming the deal while others described it as the “failure of the European Union”.
British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said that the deal offers stability to the EU-UK relationship, adding in a statement: “Now is the time to look forward to the future and to building a more global Britain.”
I warmly welcome the @Europarl_EN vote in favour of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The TCA marks the foundation of a strong and close partnership with the UK. Faithful implementation is essential. pic.twitter.com/aTU7cOB5Ck
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 28, 2021
European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed the approval, remarking that faithful implementation was essential: “I warmly welcome the @Europarl_EN vote in favour of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The TCA marks the foundation of a strong and close partnership with the UK. Faithful implementation is essential.”
Hugely welcome the overwhelming vote by @Europarl_EN for our trade agreement with the EU.
Hope we can now begin a new chapter together as Europeans, characterised by friendly cooperation between sovereign equals.
Thank you @EU_Commission @michelbarnier for helping get us here.
— David Frost (@DavidGHFrost) April 28, 2021
At the same time, Lord Frost, the UK’s chief negotiator, said the Agreement brings certainty and enables the parties to focus on the future, adding: “Hugely welcome the overwhelming vote by @Europarl_EN for our trade agreement with the EU. Hope we can now begin a new chapter together as Europeans, characterised by friendly cooperation between sovereign equals. Thank you @EU_Commission @michelbarnier for helping get us here.”
The approval, however, triggered not just warm reactions. Parliamentarian Guy Verhofstadt labeled the agreement as “a failure for both sides, but better than nothing”. Michel Barnier, the EU’s ex-chief Brexit negotiator, urged that all parties should draw lessons from the UK’s departure, and then added:
“This is a divorce, it’s a warning. Why did 52 (percent) of the British (population) vote against Europe? There are reasons for that: social anger and tension which existed in many regions in the UK but also in many regions of the EU.”
The UK left the EU at the end of January 2020 but still, however, remains part of the European single market. The Agreement establishes zero tariffs and quotas on the EU-UK trade relationship but defines new checks and paperwork that will delay trade. UK exports to the EU for the period January-February dropped by 47% while imports from the EU declined by 20%. Christophe Hansen, one of the policymakers responsible for the filing of the Agreement, said:
“Ratification of the agreement is not a vote of blind confidence in the UK government’s intention to implement our agreements in good faith.”
