The European Parliament voted for a trade and cooperation agreement between the EU and the UK after the kingdom left the community. This was announced on Wednesday, April 28, by the EP’s Brexit coordinator and liberal leader Guy Verhofstadt.
It is specified that the voting took place the day before in a remote mode. The agreement was supported by 660 deputies, while five opposed.
“The European Parliament has approved a trade and cooperation agreement between the EU and the UK! The first ever trade deal to create barriers and eliminate freedoms? Failure for both sides, but better than nothing, ”Werhofstadt wrote in Twitter…
He also stressed that he still believes that “some day some young ambitious politician will want the UK to be a leader in the EU again.”
Now, for the final entry into force of the document, it must be agreed by the EU countries.
On December 30 last year, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson signed a trade cooperation agreement with the European Union after Brexit. He noted that the agreement is “the beginning of a wonderful relationship between the UK and our friends and partners in the European Union.”
On the same day, EU leaders signed the agreement. On behalf of the European Union, the agreement was signed by the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
The parties signed three documents: an agreement on trade and cooperation, an agreement on procedures for the exchange and protection of confidential information, and an agreement on cooperation in the peaceful use of atomic energy.
Then it was reported that the agreement would require the approval of the EU countries and ratification of the European Parliament, as well as the British Parliament.
The UK officially left the European Union at midnight on January 31, 2020.