The Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by British Prime Minister Theresa May honors the U.K. commitment to pay its share of the E.U. budget until it leaves the economic bloc. The deal includes a 21-month transition period, beginning in March 2019, which could be extended for another year or even longer.
During the transition period, little would change as the U.K. and the E.U. negotiate their future trade and security relationship — meaning citizens on both sides would continue to move freely without a visa.
During the transition, the U.K. would continue to abide by all E.U. rules and regulations and obey the rulings of the European Court of Justice. During the transition, the U.K. would no longer have its members serving in the European Parliament and other E.U. rulemaking bodies.
In order to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland, a nation in the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland, a member of the E.U., the two sides agree to a “backstop,” a kind of insurance policy. This backstop means that if the two sides fail to achieve a future trade deal that would free both countries from the need for inspections, controls and tariffs at the Irish border, then the U.K. would remain under an E.U. customs union umbrella.
The Parliament’s “European Research Group,” composed of hard-line Brexiteers, who favor a decisive break from the European Union, issued a white paper outlining their objections to proposed Withdrawal Agreement.
Their main points are:
● “The UK would hand over £39 billion ($50 billion) of taxpayers’ money with nothing guaranteed in return.”
● “The UK would remain a ‘rule taker’ over large areas of E.U. law.”
● “It would lock us in a Customs Union without the ability to leave.”
● “It would create internal borders within the UK, undermining the integrity of the Union.”
● “The European Court of Justice would remain in control of the agreement and large areas of E.U. law directly effective in the UK.”
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