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And... the agreement has been reached!

Brexit agreement reached, European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker announced

Source: B92, Tanjug Thursday, October 17, 2019 | 13:33

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Foto: Tanjug/AP/Frank Augstein

"Where there is a will, there is a #deal - we have one! It’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions", Juncker said.

"I recommend that #EUCO endorses this deal", he said, as Reuters reports.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also confirmed that an agreement has been reached. "We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control — now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment", he posted on Twitter. The two sides have been working on the text of the agreement, which still needs to be ratified from the UK Parliament and the EU Parliament, Johnson added.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has said Brexit talks have at times been difficult but a deal has been agreed between the UK and the EU, and the agreement is divided into four parts. “We finally have a fair and reasonable basis for an orderly withdrawal – we hope that as of the 1st November we can work on a new relationship,” said Barnier.

EU's Chief negotiator said that the deal with United Kingdom was struck after a marathon technical sessions of both teams. "This agreement should provide legal certainty in every area where Brexit like any separation creates uncertainty and in particular and first and foremost for European citizens in the UK and British citizens living in one of our member states. These citizens have always been and will remain our priority,” Barnier said.

“Throughout these negotiations, the EU and the UK were fully committed to protecting peace and stability on the island of Ireland,” Barnier added. ”The deal also covers the protection of citizens’ rights and a transition period that will last until the end of 2020, with the possibility of being extended as mutually agreed", Barnier said.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michael Barnier, says Northern Ireland will remain in a customs union with Britain under the agreement, but will continue to apply limited EU internal market rules in order to avoid border controls with EU member Ireland.

The other significant change is to the Political Declaration which accompanies the Withdrawal Agreement. Boris Johnson’s government has insisted that a free trade agreement should be at the heart of future EU-UK relations. That means that any reference to other options, including a customs territory, has been discarded.

Barnier said a dual customs regime would be observed, depending on whether goods are destined to stay in Northern Ireland or end up in the EU.

He added that the EU and the UK wanted to negotiate a free trade agreement, and that Brussels was offering a deal "without tariffs and quotas between the EU and the UK."

In his initial response, Barnier hailed the deal, saying it answered the uncertainty created by Brexit: "We have delivered, and we have delivered together."

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has urged the 27 member states to get behind the Brexit deal. In a letter to EU Council President Donald Tusk, Juncker said EU countries are "best served by an orderly and amicable withdrawal of the United Kingdom from our Union."

"Our hand should always remain outstretched as the United Kingdom will remain a key partner," he wrote.

"I believe it is high time to complete the withdrawal process and move on as swiftly as possible to the negotiation on the European Union's future partnership with the United Kingdom."

The Wall Street Journal wrote that it was, however, a "rough draft" of the "divorce" agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU, as negotiators are yet to face with adjustments and Parliaments' ratifications.

The U.K. opposition Labour party said in a statement that “from what we know, it seems the Prime Minister has negotiated an even worse deal than Theresa May’s, which was overwhelmingly rejected.”

The pro-Remain Liberal Democrats also said they were determined to stop Brexit altogether and still advocated a second referendum.

The leader of the Brexit Party, Nigel Farage, said the deal should not be supported. The Scottish National Party (SNP) has also said it will not vote for the deal.

British MPs had rejected a Brexit deal reached by Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, three times because of objections to the Irish “backstop” issue.

The deadline new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had set for reaching Brexit Agreement is October 31st. Pogledajte još