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European Parliament President hails Brexit deal, says assembly will now ‘scrutinise in detail’
On Thursday evening, David Sassoli said, “The Parliament thanks and congratulates the EU and UK negotiators for their intense efforts to reach, albeit at the last minute, this historic agreement.”
24 Dec 2020
Speaking after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a Brexit agreement on Christmas Eve, Sassoli said, “Although I still deeply regret the UK’s decision to leave the EU, I have always believed that a negotiated settlement is in the best interests of both sides. This deal can now form the basis for us to build a new partnership.”
Europe Editor
At some point between the Boris Johnson-Ursula von der Leyen dinner on 9 December, and last Sunday morning, something changed.
The dinner had gone badly. Both sides issued terse statements as Boris Johnson s black Mercedes pulled out of the European Commission s Berlaymont headquarters.
Big gaps remained. The next day Boris Johnson said no deal was now a strong possibility .
The Sunday Times political editor Tim Shipman portrayed a chilly encounter in which Johnson urged von der Leyen to sideline the EU s chief negotiator Michel Barnier, joking about how both the Brits and Germans knew how difficult the French can be .
MEPs voted in favour of the European Commission s contingency measures on Friday, which are aimed at mitigating the fallout from a no-deal Brexit.
The plans for a possible scenario where no agreement is reached will help prevent disruption in road and air transport and also to extend the existing fisheries authorisations.
The temporary rules will ensure certain services between the UK and the EU continue for a maximum of six months. This includes rights for UK and EU air carriers to continue to fly over and make technical stops on EU territory, as well as serve direct routes to the EU. A limited number of specific pandemic-related cargo flights will be allowed also.