Ambassadors of the 27 member states of the European Union unanimously approved the provisional application of a post-Brexit trade agreement on January 1, a German spokesman confirmed on Monday.
Why it matters: It is an expected but crucial step towards avoiding a potentially catastrophic “no deal” Brexit on January 1, days after the UK government and the European Commission announced that they had made impressive progress after months of stalled negotiations.
What to watch: The UK House of Commons will meet to vote on the deal on Wednesday.
- Opposition Labor Party leader Keir Starmer asked lawmakers to support the deal, almost guaranteeing that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will have the votes he needs to get the deal approved in Parliament.
- The European Parliament will vote to fully approve the agreement in the new year, but it will still enter into force on a provisional basis to prevent a precipitous Brexit on January 1.
The big picture: Even with the application of the agreement, which outlines many of the terms of the UK’s new relationship with its largest and closest trading partner, the British government Warned businesses and citizens get ready for some “turbulent times” when the Brexit transition period ends on December 31.
Go deeper: UK and EU reach historic post-Brexit trade deal