A somber European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel yesterday formally signed the withdrawal agreement as Brussels prepares for the UK’s exit from the EU in seven days’ time.
In photographs issued of the signing ceremony in the EU’s Europa building yesterday morning, European Chief Negotiator for the UK Exiting the EU Michel Barnier can be seen standing behind the two presidents.
Michel, who will now chair meetings of 27 rather than 28 heads of state and government at the regular summits in the Belgian capital, issued a short statement.
“Things will inevitably change, but our friendship will remain. We start a new chapter as partners and allies,” he said.
Von der Leyen tweeted: “Charles Michel and I have just signed the agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, opening the way for its ratification by the European parliament.”
No reporters or photographers were allowed to witness the low-key ceremony, despite news agencies offering to organise a pool.
The signed copy of the agreement was sent in a diplomatic bag to Downing Street for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s signature.
Number 10 said that Johnson would sign it later in the day, then return it to Brussels, where the EU is to make a copy for each party.
The withdrawal agreement on Thursday received royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II.
The document, which runs to nearly 600 pages, contains among other issues agreements on citizens’ rights, the UK’s £33 billion (US$43.2 billion) worth of financial obligations to the bloc and the Northern Ireland protocol, establishing the arrangements for maintaining an open border on the island of Ireland.
The European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee on Thursday backed the agreement by 23 votes in favor to three against, setting up the final act on Wednesday next week when a plenary session of the parliament stages its final vote to ratify the deal.
The following day diplomats from the EU member states are to approve the deal in writing.
Under the agreement, the UK is to leave the EU at midnight central European time on Friday next week.
The UK will remain in the EU’s single market and customs union, but none of the decisionmaking bodies, until the end of this year.
Johnson has said he will not take the option available to him in the withdrawal agreement of extending this transition period.
He has said the 11-month period available without further extension is “ample” time to reach agreement on a comprehensive deal.
Most experts regard the idea that London and Brussels could agree on a comprehensive free trade agreement in that time as ambitious, but officials have expressed cautious optimism that some kind of agreement can be reached.
Formal trade talks are not expected to begin until the end of next month or even March.
The EU’s negotiating position, known as a mandate, is due to be adopted on Feb. 25 by EU ministers attending a general affairs council, and formal negotiations will then begin on the future relationship.
A political declaration on the outlines of the future relationship, which has already been given the political seal of approval in London and the EU capitals, is to set the parameters of the talks to come as the two sides seek to replace the terms of the UK’s 45 years of membership with new arrangements.
Additional reporting by AFP
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft