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European Council gave green light for United Kingdom’s EU exit

Government Communications Department
Publication date 26.11.2018 13.53 | Published in English on 27.11.2018 at 11.30
Press release 558/2018

The European Council has endorsed the draft Brexit agreement negotiated between the European Commission and the United Kingdom. The formal process of approving the withdrawal agreement can now begin. The special meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Sunday 25 November also endorsed a political declaration which, after the United Kingdom’s withdrawal, will form the basis for negotiations with the UK on the future EU–UK relationship.

“The withdrawal agreement fulfils the negotiating directives that were issued to the European Commission at an earlier EU summit. The agreement contains important matters for Finland, such as a solution on safeguarding the rights of EU citizens currently resident in the UK - and the same, of course, concerning British citizens resident in EU countries,” said Prime Minister Juha Sipilä.

Following the European Council’s endorsement, the United Kingdom can now submit the draft withdrawal agreement to the UK Parliament for its approval. The approval of the European Parliament will also be needed. Final approval on the EU side will be required from the Council, representing Member States.

The aim is that the withdrawal agreement and the transition period incorporated within it will enter into force by 30 March 2019, when the period reserved for the withdrawal agreement negotiations comes to an end. Negotiations on the future relationship are to be held during the transition period, which will continue until at least 2020.

“The withdrawal agreement dismantles in an orderly way everything that the EU has put in place with the UK since the 1970s. And the declaration we have approved today forms the basis for building a new relationship. Challenging negotiations lied ahead on all kinds of matters, for instance trade, security cooperation, aviation and the conditions by which people in Finland, for example, may travel to the UK or move there,” said Prime Minister Sipilä.

“Nothing will be quite as it was before. The new UK relationship will not in any way be comparable to EU membership, but we will seek as close a relationship as possible in each sector,” explained Prime Minister Sipilä.

The United Kingdom’s withdrawal decision was based on a referendum held in 2016.

Inquiries: Kare Halonen, State Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 319 , Johannes Leppo, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Legislative Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 335 and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office

Free pictures and video material for the media:
• European Council newsroom: https://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/
• Finnish Government Flickr account: https://www.flickr.com/photos/finnishgovernment/

Background information:
• European Council website: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/fi/meetings/european-council/2018/11/25/

 
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