The UK and the EU have reached a settlement in the first phase of the ongoing Brexit negotiations. Both parties have come to an understanding to move onto the second phase that would determine the future of the relationship between the EU and the UK.  

As it can be remembered, the UK voted to exit the EU at the June 2016 referendum and started the official process by invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on 29 March 2017. Thereafter, two parties reached a settlement in regard to the priorities and dates. It was planned that the negotiations would be done sequentially in the way the EU favours. Citizens’ rights would be covered in the first phase; the border issue between Ireland and Northern Ireland which is part of the UK and divorce bill would also be on the agenda. Afterwards, the future of the relationship and lastly transition period would be addressed. According to this, the post-Brexit model the UK desired to discuss at the beginning of the negotiations could have only started to launch if the European Council decided that a sufficient progress has been made. The negotiations led by the UK Brexit Secretary David Davis and the EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier were held firstly in June, secondly in July, thirdly in August, fourthly in September, fifthly in October and lastly in November. During these negotiation rounds, parties addressed citizens’ rights, financial settlement and Northern Ireland border issue between Ireland and the UK.

Although the withdrawal negotiations have been in a good shape, there had not been any remarkable progress so far. The parties could not have come to a compromise regarding some topics such as the financial settlement of the Brexit, citizens’ rights and the border issues. This situation was also on the EU leaders’ agenda on 19-20 October 2017. During the EU Leaders Summit in Brussels, after the final assessment of the Brexit negotiations, it was stated that sufficient progress could not have been achieved in order to move onto the next phase. The EU’s Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier had granted two weeks to the UK to resolve the ambiguity for the withdrawal conditions after the sixth round meeting.

In this respect, parties have met for the last time in Brussels, in order to ensure progress in negotiations. The parties have come to an agreement to move onto the second phase of the negotiations that would determine the future of the relationship between the EU and the UK. It was indicated that the parties have discussed all of the issues in detail during the meetings which had lasted until the early morning of 8 December. The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, made a statement this morning. After having expressed that the negotiations were tough for both parties, Juncker highlighted that a profound move was made by this agreement. Prime Minister of the UK Theresa May, following her remarks on the UK’s desire for a deep and special partnership with the EU, underlined the agreement as significant development suggesting the impartiality of the financial conditions of the agreement for the UK citizens. Theresa May is expected to meet with the Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker along with the UK’s Brexit Secretary Davis in Brussels today at the evening hours.

Hereupon, if the agreement gets approved at the European Council, second phase negotiations that will regulate the future of the relationship would move forward. As it is known, the UK is expected to leave the EU in March 2019. According to the designated calendar, it was decided that the negotiations would come to a conclusion in October 2018 and meantime until March 2019, the UK Parliament, the European Council and the EP would vote the agreement.