EU nations unanimously back post-Brexit trade deal with UK
LONDON (AP) — European Union nations have unanimously approve the post-Brexit trade deal with the United Kingdom, a prerequisite for the agreement to come into operation on New Year’s Day.
Germany, which holds the EU presidency, said the decision came during a meeting of EU ambassadors to assess the Christmas Eve agreement.
“Green light,” said Germany’s spokesman Sebastian Fischer. “Ambassadors have unanimously approved the provisional application of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement as of January 1, 2021.”
The approval had been expected ever since the deal was announced and all EU leaders warmly welcomed it. It still needs approval from the EU’s legislature, which is expected to come in February. The U.K’s House of Commons is expected to approve it on Wednesday.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
LONDON (AP) — First came the Brexit trade deal. Now comes the red tape.
Four days after sealing a free trade agreement with the European Union, the British government warned businesses to get ready for disruptions and “bumpy moments” when the new rules take effect on Thursday night.
Businesses were scrambling Monday to digest the details and implications of the 1,240-page deal sealed by the EU and the U.K. on Christmas Eve.
The U.K. left the EU almost a year ago, but remained within the bloc's economic embrace during a transition period that ends at midnight Brussels time -- 11 p.m. in London -- on Dec. 31.
The agreement, hammered out after nine months of tense negotiations, will ensure Britain and the 27-nation bloc can continue to trade in goods without tariffs or quotas. That should help protect the 660 billion pounds ($894 billion) in annual trade between the two sides, and the hundreds of thousands of...
