British-EU announces’agreement divorce’ after 47 years … Johnson’s’fish tie’

The UK and the European Union (EU) have agreed on terms of Brexit. On the 24th (local time), a week before the breakup, negotiations on future relations, including trade conditions, were concluded. It was four years after Britain decided on Brexit through a referendum in 2016, and 47 years after joining the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, it was a’consensual divorce’.

The British government gave the meaning of withdrawal from the EU, saying, “The UK has regained control over finances, borders, laws, trade and waters.” “We signed a tariff-free and quota-free agreement with the EU, and this is the largest agreement between the two.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also told social media that “we have regained control of our laws and destinies.” “It’s a good deal for the whole of Europe,” he said. “We will be friends, allies, advocates and best markets in Europe.” EU Commissioner Ursula Ponderrayen said, “We have reached a fair and balanced agreement,” and “It was a long and winding road, but we had a good agreement at the end.”

The two sides agreed to a free trade agreement based on a tariff-free quota that does not impose taxes on imported and exported goods and does not impose restrictions on the volume of transactions. If the withdrawal without agreement or the so-called’no-deal’ Brexit becomes a reality, it is possible to prevent the soaring prices of daily necessities and medicines, which were concerned. The BBC broadcast said, “As of 2019, the volume of bilateral trade reached 680 billion pounds (about 1003 trillion won),” and said, “If the agreement was not reached, the cost would have increased dramatically.”

Free trade agreements cover not only trade, but investment, competition, state subsidies, tax transparency, maritime, road transport, energy, sustainability, fishing, and data protection. However, the agreement did not address specific details of the financial sector, foreign policy, foreign security, and defense cooperation.

As the consultations have continued for a long time, agreements between the two sides have progressed to some extent in most fields. The sector that suffered pain until the end was the right to fishery. It was for that reason that Prime Minister Johnson appeared wearing a fish-patterned tie at a press conference announcing the conclusion of the negotiations.

The two sides agreed to reduce the quota for fishing vessels in EU member states operating in the UK Exclusive Border Zone (EEZ) by 25% over the next five years and six months. Initially, the UK wanted an 80% cut, and the EU demanded equal treatment with British fishing boats. However, in the face of catastrophe, they stepped back from each other.

The reason the two sides had a nervous war over fishing rights to the end was not because of economic problems, but because of their political symbolism. Brexit supporters in the UK regarded EEZ control as a symbol of securing sovereignty over the border. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been a Brexit supporter since Prime Minister David Cameron proposed a referendum. In case the’no deal’ Brexit becomes a reality, the British government even suggested the possibility of physical force, such as placing four patrol ships on standby in its own waters.

It was France that confronted Britain until the last minute. This is because President Emmanuel Macron has taken a tough attitude because it is a traditional love-hate relationship and the livelihoods of fishing workers in northern France. In fact, President Macron has said, “It’s better not to agree than to make a bad agreement.” That is why it was said that negotiations between the UK and France were not between the UK and the 27 EU countries.

The gap between the two sides began to narrow on the 21st, when Prime Minister Johnson first called President Macron. This is because, due to the spread of the variant Corona 19, countries around the world blocked entry from the UK, and so on, intensifying isolation, and concluding negotiations to change the atmosphere was urgent. President Macron was also burdened with ignoring Britain, which suffered unprecedentedly.

Prime Minister Johnson stepped back, expressing his intention to work on an agreement, and President Macron responded that he would help resume cargo transportation to Britain. The British Financial Times (FT) said that after the currency, the atmosphere changed and there was progress in the fishing negotiations.

Brexit was first visualized by former British Prime Minister David Cameron as a referendum proposal. Contrary to Prime Minister Cameron’s expectation that the public would choose to’remain in the EU’, the Brexit camp won with 52% withdrawal and 48% withdrawal as a result of the vote in June 2016. Afterwards, Prime Minister Cameron resigned and Prime Minister Theresa May took office, negotiating Brexit with the EU, but resigned without reaching an agreement.

Afterwards, Prime Minister Johnson, who took the key to negotiating, left the EU legally by conducting Brexit at the end of January this year. However, the two sides have been negotiating future relations with’conditions for separation’ with a grace period until the end of this year.

The negotiations will take effect upon approval by the British Parliament, EU member states and the European Parliament respectively.

Reporter Jeong Eun-hye [email protected]