The UK-EU trade agreement, which contains new rules for living, working and trading together, will take effect from 23:00 GMT on December 31st. Below are the key points of the Brexit agreement to clarify many doubts .
The complicated full deal is over 1,200 pages long, but here are some of the key points.
Trade
What the Brexit deal says:
- There will be no tax on goods (tariffs) or limits on the amount that can be exchanged (allowances) between the UK and the EU from 1st January
- New border controls will be introduced, such as security checks and customs declarations.
- There are some new restrictions on some UK pet food products. For example, raw meats such as sausages and hamburgers cannot enter the EU unless they are frozen at -18 ° C.
What does it mean?
- Having a deal in place means that fears that some goods may become more expensive have been avoided.
- However, businesses will still have to prepare for new procedures in ports and, if the new documentation is incomplete, it could cause disruptions.
Services and qualifications
What the Brexit deal says:
- Businesses offering services, such as banks, architecture and accounting, will lose their automatic right of access to EU markets and face some restrictions.
- There will no longer be automatic recognition of professional qualifications for people such as doctors, chefs and architects.
What does it mean?
- Rather than following a set of rules for the whole of the EU, UK companies will have to comply with the regulations in each individual country.
- It will be more difficult for people with UK-acquired qualifications to sell their services in the EU. Individuals will need to check the rules of each country to make sure their qualification is still recognized.
- However, the UK and the EU have committed to continue dialogue to try to improve access for the service sector in the future.
Travel
Key points of the Brexit agreement also concern travel
What the Brexit deal says:
- UK citizens will need a visa for stays longer than 90 days in the EU for a period of 180 days.
- European pet passports will no longer be valid.
- European health insurance cards (EHICs) will remain valid until expiration.
- The UK is no longer subject to the ban on additional roaming charges, although both parties will encourage operators to have “transparent and reasonable charges” for roaming .
What does it mean?
- The UK government says the EHIC will be replaced with a new UK global health card, but full details have not yet been released.
- Pets will still be allowed in the EU, but it will be a more complicated process as owners will need to obtain an animal health certificate for every trip they make.
- UK mobile operators will be able to charge for roaming, so people should check with their mobile phone company before traveling.
Fishing
What the Brexit deal says:
- Over the next five and a half years, the UK will gradually acquire a larger share of the fish from its own waters.
- The UK could choose to ban EU fishing vessels from 2026, but the EU would be allowed to introduce taxes on British fish in response.
What does it mean?
- Fishing was the most difficult and final issue to resolve in the negotiation and some British fishermen are dissatisfied with the deal. The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, for example, says the deal does not give the UK sufficient control of its waters.
- Starting in 2026, the UK and the EU will hold regular talks on access to fisheries. So there may be more heated discussions in sight.
European Court of Justice and other disputes
What the Brexit deal says:
- There will be no role in the UK for the European Court of Justice (CJEU), which is the highest court in the EU.
- Unresolved disputes between the UK and the EU will instead be referred to an independent court.
What does it mean?
- The end of the European Court of Justice’s role was a key demand from the UK as Brexit advocates said it would allow the UK to “take back control” of its laws.
- The European Court of Justice may still have a role in Northern Ireland because it continues to follow certain EU trade rules.
- If either party strays too far from current product standards rules, duties (import charges) may be imposed on some goods in the future.
Security and data
What the Brexit deal says:
- The UK will no longer have automatic access to key security databases, but should be able to access them on demand.
- He will not be a member of the EU police agency, Europol, but will be present at its headquarters.
- It is no longer obliged to comply with EU data protection standards, but data will continue to be exchanged in the same way for at least four months, provided the UK does not change its data protection rules.
What does it mean?
- The UK’s deal with Europol will be similar to the US’s currently.
- Many of the rules on data storage and processing have yet to be decided.
Education
What the Brexit deal says:
- The UK will no longer participate in the Erasmus exchange program, an EU program that helps students study in other countries.
- Students from Northern Ireland universities will continue to participate in Erasmus, as part of an agreement with the Irish government.
What does it mean?
- Students who have already started courses in the EU will continue to receive support for fees.
- A new scheme named after the mathematician Alan Turing will begin in September 2021. The government says it will be similar to Erasmus but will include countries from all over the world.
