Background and Negotiations:
– UK joined European Communities in 1973 and was subject to EU law and European Court of Justice.
– UK voted to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum, leading to negotiations for a post-transition trade agreement.
– Negotiations were led by Barnier for the EU and Frost for the UK, with key points of contention being free trade and compliance with EU regulations.
– Fisheries rights were a major point of contention during negotiations.
– An agreement was reached on 24 December 2020, leading to the signing and ratification process.
Signature, Ratification, and Entry into Force:
– The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) was signed by the EU on 30 December 2020 and later by the UK after EU approval.
– Ratification processes were undertaken by both the EU and the UK/Euratom, with the UK ratifying through the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020.
– The TCA entered into force on 1 May 2021 after approval by the European Parliament and Council in April 2021.
– The definitive version of the agreement was exchanged on 21 April 2021 and retroactively applied from 1 January 2021.
Provisions and Implementation:
– The agreement covers trade in goods and services, energy cooperation, public policy aspects, movement of persons, and fisheries.
– It includes provisions for tariff and quota-free trade between the EU and UK, self-certification of compliance with rules of origin, and customs formalities due to the UK leaving the EU customs area.
– The TCA also addresses regulatory cooperation in energy and climate goals, intellectual property provisions, and the movement of persons between the EU and UK.
– The EU–UK Partnership Council oversees the implementation of the agreement, with extensions to the provisional application and specific letters detailing the process.
Key Stakeholders and Analysis:
– Various stakeholders like the Bank of England and the UK government provide guidance on aspects like passporting and trade marks.
– Analysis from experts and media outlets discusses the implications of the agreement on different sectors.
– Academic articles delve into the unique nature of the TCA and its impact on separation of powers, sovereignty, and EU–UK relations post-Brexit.
– Opinions on the agreement’s impact on sovereignty, particularly concerning Northern Ireland, are examined, along with the Labour party’s stance on seeking changes to the agreement.
Public Reaction and External Links:
– The public reaction included disappointment from the UK fishing industry and mixed feelings on the benefits of the EU trade deal for Britain.
– Key figures like Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, and Keir Starmer expressed varying opinions on the EU-UK trade deal.
– External links provide additional details on the UK’s notification on the EU-UK Trade Agreement, peaceful nuclear energy cooperation, security procedures, and related agreements.
The EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) is a free trade agreement signed on 30 December 2020, between the European Union (EU), the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the United Kingdom (UK). It provisionally applied from 1 January 2021, when the Brexit transition period ended, before formally entering into force on 1 May 2021, after the ratification processes on both sides were completed: the UK Parliament ratified on 30 December 2020; the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union ratified in late April 2021.
| Trade and cooperation agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part | |
|---|---|
 European Union (EU) and Euratom United Kingdom (UK) | |
| Type | Trade and cooperation agreement |
| Context | Withdrawal of the UK from the EU on 31 January 2020 |
| Drafted | 24 December 2020 |
| Signed | 30 December 2020 |
| Location | Brussels and London |
| Ratified | 30 April 2021 |
| Effective | 1 May 2021 |
| Condition | Ratification by both parties (Article 783) |
| Provisional application | 1 January 2021 to 30 April 2021 |
| Negotiators | |
| Parties | |
| Languages | all official EU languages |
The agreement, which governs the relationship between the EU and the UK after Brexit, was concluded after eight months of negotiations. It provides for free trade in goods and limited mutual market access in services, as well as for cooperation mechanisms in a range of policy areas, transitional provisions about EU access to UK fisheries, and UK participation in some EU programmes. Compared to the UK's previous status as an EU member state, on 1 January 2021 the following ended as they are not incorporated in the TCA or the Brexit withdrawal agreement: free movement of persons between the parties; UK membership in the European Single Market and Customs Union; UK participation in most EU programmes; part of EU–UK law enforcement and security cooperation such as the access to real time crime data; defense and foreign policy cooperation; and the authority of the European Court of Justice in dispute settlement (except with respect to the Northern Ireland Protocol).
In addition, two other separate treaties were negotiated, signed, and ratified in parallel around the same time by the UK and the EU/Euratom: an agreement on exchange of classified information and another on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.
