The withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) has been a highly debated topic for a long time. After years of negotiations and discussions, the EU-UK withdrawal agreement was finally signed on 24th January 2020. The agreement marked the end of decades of relationship between the UK and the EU. In this article, we will discuss the full text of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement.
The EU-UK withdrawal agreement is a comprehensive legal document that outlines the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU. The document consists of 185 pages and covers various topics such as citizens’ rights, the Irish backstop, the financial settlement, and the future relationship between the EU and the UK.
One of the key objectives of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement is to ensure that the citizens’ rights are protected. The agreement ensures that the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in the EU are secured. The agreement also covers the rights of family members of these citizens.
The Irish backstop was one of the most contentious issues during the negotiations. The backstop aims to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The EU-UK withdrawal agreement includes a protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, which addresses the issue of the backstop. The protocol ensures that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and that the Good Friday Agreement will be protected.
The financial settlement is another important aspect of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement. The UK has agreed to pay a financial settlement to the EU, which covers the financial commitments made during the UK’s membership in the EU. The financial settlement is estimated to be between £35 billion and £39 billion.
The EU-UK withdrawal agreement also outlines the future relationship between the EU and the UK. The agreement establishes a transition period, which will last until 31st December 2020. During the transition period, the UK will continue to follow EU rules and regulations. The EU and the UK will also negotiate a free trade agreement during the transition period.
In conclusion, the EU-UK withdrawal agreement is a comprehensive legal document that outlines the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU. The agreement covers various topics such as citizens’ rights, the Irish backstop, the financial settlement, and the future relationship between the EU and the UK. While the agreement marks the end of decades-long relationship between the UK and the EU, it also lays the foundation for a new relationship between the two entities.