BRUSSELS:British and European Union negotiators sealed a Brexit deal on Thursday, just a week before the United Kingdom finally leaves the orbit of the 27-nation bloc, its biggest trading partner.
Here is what it means - in five basic questions.
WHAT IS BREXIT?
Brexit - or "British exit" - refers to the process of the United Kingdom leaving the EU after 47 years in the economic and political alliance of European countries built from the ashes of World War Two.
Following a referendum that the "vote leave" camp won by 52-48% in June 2016, Britain became the first country to leave the EU, a union of now nearly 450 million citizens that stretches from the Atlantic to the borders of Russia and Turkey.
Britain's formal departure on Jan. 31, 2020 was heralded by supporters as a recovery of political sovereignty for the country of 66 million people.
Opponents saw it as an historic setback to European integration that could cause unprecedented economic damage and risk renewed strife on the Irish border, the only land frontier between the bloc and the UK.
Since its formal departure, London has followed established rules of close-knit cooperation on everything from trade to student exchanges, but this transition phase expires at midnight on Dec. 31.
WHAT DOES THE DEAL COVER?
The two sides have been in complex negotiations since March to try to keep their trade in goods flowing from Jan. 1, 2021.
The deal announced on Thursday means that this goods trade - roughly half of the $900 billion of annual EU-UK commerce - will remain free of tariffs and quotas.
However, goods moving between the UK and the EU will be subject to customs and other controls, and extra paperwork is expected to cause major disruptions.
The deal was negotiated on top of a formal Withdrawal Agreement reached last year, which ensured that extensive controls would not be put back on the sensitive border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland.
The third key element of the deal is dividing up fishing quotas between Britain and the EU.
WHICH OTHER AREAS ARE AFFECTED?
The deal does not envisage cooperation on the same level as before Brexit in many areas.
Financial and business services, the backbone of UK exports, are only included to a small extent.
The same is true of cooperation on foreign policy, security and defence, while provisions for transport, energy and civil nuclear cooperation will be below current levels.
WHICH OTHER TIES WILL BE DOWNGRADED?
Mobile roaming, mutual recognition of professional qualifications, access to legal services, digital trade and public procurement are other areas where cooperation will be downgraded.
While the EU and the UK agreed not to require visas for travel, free movement of people will end.
That means EU citizens going to the UK, and vice-versa, will be subject to border screening and no longer able to use biometric passports to cross swiftly through electronic gates.
IS BREXIT FINALLY DONE?
Yes, because Britain is out of the EU, its customs union and the single market, and no longer bound by their rules. Ties will now be based on the two sides' 2020 divorce settlement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement sealed on Thursday.
But those hoping for an end to the often-acrimonious negotiations that followed the Brexit referendum are likely to be disappointed.
The agreement includes transition periods and review clauses, meaning that more negotiation lies ahead on fisheries, trading rules and much besides.
Reuters
Fri Dec 25 2020
Brexit refers to the process of the United Kingdom leaving the EU after 47 years in the economic and political alliance of European countries built from the ashes of World War Two.
Lanno Valley diarah tutup bagi tujuan keselamatan - MDBG
Landskap kawasan dikelilingi aktiviti kuari yang aktif dalam radius kurang dari 600 meter itu memberi risiko keselamatan kepada pengunjung.
AWANI Ringkas: Bela nasib pekerja | Gaji penjawat awam bakal diperincikan
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
PM Anwar gesa segerakan penubuhan Suruhanjaya Pekerja Gig
Beliau berkata adalah penting untuk memberi perhatian dan keprihatinan yang lebih kepada pekerja bagi sektor berkenaan.
Kesuma percepat penubuhan Suruhanjaya Pekerja Gig, laporan interim Jun ini
Steven Sim berkata kajian sedang dilakukan dengan kerjasama Universiti Malaya (UM) sebelum laporan interim dijangka dibentangkan kepada Kabinet menjelang 1 Jun ini.
Malaysia tutup kempen Piala Uber dengan kemenangan 4-1 ke atas Australia
Malaysia mendahului dalam perlawanan pembukaan menerusi pemain perseorangan wanita profesional negara Goh Jin Wei yang menewaskan Tiffany Ho, 21-6, 21-12.
Impak gaji penjawat awam naik lebih 13 peratus
Ketua Ekonomi Buruh di Kementerian Sumber Manusia dan Emiratisasi, Emiriah Arab Bersatu (UAE), Dr Yusof Saari berkata kenaikan gaji penjawat awam bakal memberi impak positif kepada pemulihan ekonomi. #AWANInews
3 terbunuh serangan peluru berpandu Rusia
Serangan turut mengakibatkan kerosakan infrastruktur awam.
Rumah kosong di Jepun pecah rekod, 9 juta unit
Jumlah rumah kosong di Jepun meningkat kepada rekod baharu 9 juta setakat Oktober 2023, iaitu kenaikan sebanyak 510,000 daripada tinjauan sebelumnya yang dijalankan pada 2018.
Kenaikan gaji penjawat awam akan diperincikan semasa pembentangan Belanjawan 2025 - Fahmi
Fahmi Fadzil berkata kenaikan gaji melebihi 13 peratus itu membuktikan komitmen kerajaan kepada penjawat awam.
Australia peruntukan AUD1 bilion banteras keganasan domestik, seksual
Perdana Menteri Australian umumkan peruntukan AUD1 bilion tangani jenayah kegasanan domestik dan seksual yang disifatkan sebagai krisis nasional negara itu.
Tidak realistik untuk runding semula protokol - Suruhanjaya Eropah
Badan eksekutif Kesatuan Eropah itu akan melancarkan prosedur pelanggaran bagi melindungi pasaran tunggal blok itu daripada risiko pencabulan protokol.
Pasca-Brexit: Kekurangan bekalan makanan dibimbangi di UK
Bermula 1 Jan, pengimport mesti membuat pengisytiharan kastam penuh mengenai barangan yang dibawa masuk ke UK dari EU atau negara lain.
Pemuda UMNO cadang pembentukan Kabinet Perang
Perdana Menteri boleh meletakkan jawatan atau menasihati Yang di-Pertuan Agong untuk membubarkan Parlimen jika tidak lagi mendapat majoriti.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Pasca-Brexit: Kesatuan Eropah tidak akan runding semula perjanjian asal
Kerajaan UK sebelum ini menyatakan, pemeriksaan sempadan yang dikenakan terhadap barangan dari Ireland Utara terbukti tidak dapat dilaksanakan.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Hubungan dengan EU: UK minta runding semula babitkan peraturan dagang
Protokol itu perlu ditulis semula kerana ia melemahkan proses perdamaian dan mempengaruhi kehidupan rakyat di Ireland Utara.
Pasca-Brexit: Parlimen Eropah akan sahkan perjanjian perdagangan
Rancangan asal EU bertujuan mengelak pembukaan sempadan antara Ireland dengan Ireland Utara menjadi pintu belakang bagi bekalan vaksin.
Nelayan Britain berdepan risiko hilang pendapatan susulan larangan eksport EU
Larangan itu dibuat selepas Britain meninggalkan EU pada 1 Januari lalu, yang mana hasil laut yang berkenaan perlu dibersihkan sebelum digunakan dan tidak boleh dijual kepada 27 ahli blok berkenaan.
Kalau tidak politik, kami nak main apa, Mak Yong, congkak? - Salahuddin Ayub
Pakatan Harapan (PH) akan terus berpolitik demi memastikan suara rakyat terus didengari meskipun ada desakan supaya sebarang bentuk politik dihentikan buat masa ini.