Ambassadors from the 27 member states of the European Union unanimously agreed on January 1 to the provisional application of a post-Brexit trade deal, German spokesman says confirmed on Monday.
Why it matters: It is an anticipated, but critical step in avoiding a potentially catastrophic “no deal” Brexit on January 1, days after the UK government and European Commission announced they had achieved a stunning breakthrough after months of stalled negotiations.
What to watch: The British House of Commons will meet on Wednesday to vote on the deal.
- The leader of the opposition Labor Party, Keir Starmer, has urged lawmakers to back the deal but make sure that Prime Minister Boris Johnson gets the votes he needs to get the deal passed through parliament.
- The European Parliament will vote in the new year to fully approve the deal, but it will still go into effect for the time being to avoid a cliff-edge Brexit on January 1.
The big picture: Even with the application of the deal, which outlines many of the terms of the UK’s new relationship with its closest and largest trading partner, the UK government has warned businesses and citizens to prepare for some “bumpy moments” when the Brexit transition period ends on December 31st.
Go deeper: UK and EU reach historic trade deal after Brexit