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The UK will now not be a member of the European Union (EU) after 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020.
For these not following each twist and switch, that is what you have to know.
What’s Brexit?
Brexit – British exit – refers back to the UK leaving the EU.
A public vote (generally known as a referendum) was held in June 2016, when 17.4 million people opted for Brexit. This gave the Go away aspect 52%, in contrast with 48% for Stay.
What’s the European Union?
The EU is an financial and political union involving 28 European nations. It permits free commerce, which suggests items can transfer between member nations with none checks or further expenses. The EU additionally permits free motion of individuals, to stay and work in whichever nation they select.
The UK joined in 1973 (when it was generally known as the European Financial Neighborhood) and it is going to be the primary member state to withdraw.
What occurs after Brexit day?
After the UK formally leaves the EU on 31 January 2020, there’s nonetheless lots to speak about and months of negotiation will comply with.
Whereas the UK has agreed the phrases of its EU departure, each side nonetheless have to determine what their future relationship will appear to be.
This will be worked out during the transition period (which some want to name the implementation interval), which begins instantly after Brexit day and is because of finish on 31 December 2020.
Throughout this 11-month interval, the UK will proceed to comply with all the EU’s guidelines and its buying and selling relationship will stay the identical.
What must be agreed?
The transition interval is supposed to provide each side some respiration area whereas a brand new free commerce settlement is negotiated.
That is wanted as a result of the UK will depart the only market and customs union on the finish of the transition. A free commerce settlement permit items to maneuver across the EU with out checks or further expenses.
If a brand new one can’t be agreed in time, then the UK faces the prospect of getting to commerce with no deal in place. That will imply tariffs (taxes) on UK items travelling to the EU and different commerce obstacles.
Apart from commerce, many different features of the longer term UK-EU relationship may also have to be determined. For instance:
- Legislation enforcement, information sharing and safety
- Aviation requirements and security
- Entry to fishing waters
- Provides of electrical energy and gasoline
- Licensing and regulation of medicines
Prime Minister Boris Johnson insists the transition interval is not going to be prolonged, however the European Fee has warned that the timetable shall be extraordinarily difficult.
What’s the Brexit deal?
The transition interval and different features of the UK’s departure have been agreed in a separate deal known as the withdrawal settlement.
Most of that was negotiated by Theresa Might’s authorities. However after Mr Johnson changed her in July 2019, he eliminated essentially the most controversial half – the backstop.
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The backstop was designed to make sure there can be no border posts or obstacles between Northern Eire and the Republic of Eire after Brexit. If wanted, it will have stored the UK in a detailed buying and selling relationship with the EU.
Underneath Mr Johnson’s deal, a customs border will successfully be created between Northern Eire and Nice Britain. Some items coming into Northern Eire from Nice Britain shall be topic to checks and must pay EU import taxes (generally known as tariffs).
These can be refunded if items stay in Northern Eire (ie aren’t moved to the Republic of Eire).
Mr Johnson has eliminated the backstop, changing it with new customs preparations for Northern Eire
Supporters of the new customs arrangement say it should permit the UK to barter its personal commerce offers with different nations – one thing that will not have been attainable beneath the backstop.
The remainder of the withdrawal settlement is essentially unchanged from the one negotiated by Mrs Might. This consists of:
- The rights of EU residents within the UK and British residents within the EU (which can stay the identical in the course of the transition)
- How a lot cash the UK is to pay the EU (estimated to be all the way down to about £30bn)
Why did Brexit take so lengthy?
Brexit was initially meant to occur on 29 March 2019, however the deadline was delayed twice after MPs rejected the deal negotiated by Mrs Might, the…