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Brexit: Withdrawal Agreement To Be Fully Operational On 1 January 2021 Date
17/12/2020
The EU-UK Joint Committee met virtually today to endorse all formal decisions and other practical solutions related to the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, as of 1 January 2021. It follows an agreement in principle reached by the Joint Committee co-chairs – European Commission Vice-President Maroš ŠefÄoviÄ and the UK Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove – on Tuesday, 8 December 2020.
The Withdrawal Agreement, and the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland in particular, will now be implemented on 1 January 2021. This means delivering on our overarching objective to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement and avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, thereby maintaining peace, stability and prosperity, as well as preserving the integrity of the EU s Single Market.
Last week, the United Kingdom (UK) moved forward with its first inoculations of the approved Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The United States (US) approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on Friday, 11 December, and will begin inoculations this coming week. The European Union (EU) continues to stress safety over speed in its vaccine approval process and has yet to follow suit.
The UK sealed the deal on a number of Free Trade Agreements, while talks with the EU continue without any significant breakthroughs. Meanwhile, the UK and EU are also preparing for a possible hard exit scenario.
This past week, Poland and Hungary reached a compromise with the EU on the custom union’s Budget and Recovery Fund, which will allow funds to flow at the start of the new year. The 116th US Congress, meanwhile, continues negotiations over a new COVID relief package, amid other priorities before adjourning.