BRUSSELS, Jan 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Heads of the European Council and the European Commission on Friday signed on Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU) later this month.
“.@eucopresident Charles Michel and I have just signed the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU, opening the way for its ratification by the European Parliament,” President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter.
Then, on Thursday next week, diplomats from the EU member states will approve the deal in writing, ensuring Britain’s orderly departure at midnight on Jan 31.
“Charles Michel and I have just signed the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU, opening the way for its ratification by the European Parliament,” Commission chief Ms von der Leyen tweeted.
In a separate tweet, Michel said: “Things will inevitably change but our friendship will remain. We start a new chapter as partners and allies.”
And he added, in French: “I’m keen to write this new page together.”
Official photographs of the signing ceremony, conducted before dawn in the European Council’s headquarters in Brussels, showed chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier looking on.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth yesterday gave royal assent to the legislation for Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, paving the way for the UK to leave the European Union with an agreement at the end of January – almost four years after 2016’s Leave vote.
Johnson hailed the crossing of the “Brexit finish line” after the EU Withdrawal Agreement Act passed into law, despite months of looming fresh negotiations with Brussels to agree a trade deal.
The UK is set to enter a transition period in February, during which the relationship with Brussels will remain the same while trade talks are finalised before the tight Dec 31 deadline.
The UK government’s withdrawal legislation cleared parliament on Wednesday after peers, who had tried to secure additional rights including for unaccompanied child refugees, bowed to the will of MPs once the elected chamber overturned their demands.
Johnson said the nation would “move forwards as one United Kingdom”, adding: “At times it felt like we would never cross the Brexit finish line, but we’ve done it.
“Now we can put the rancour and division of the past three years behind us and focus on delivering a bright, exciting future – with better hospitals and schools, safer streets and opportunity spread to every corner of our country.” — NNN-AGENCIES