Brexit: say goodbye to Farewell!

The Brexit took effect on February 1, but it will remain with us for a long time. Even after the divorce, we should remain friends with the British, says Martin Selmayr, former Secretary General of the EU Commission.

It's done. Now it is sad certainty: the United Kingdom will leave the European Union on February 1st. This raises the question of what is changing for the population and businesses on both sides of the English Channel. The answer: little - at least until the end of the year. This is ensured by a transition period that the EU and the United Kingdom agreed in the exit agreement - after long, often tough divorce negotiations. The British government is no longer at the table when making decisions in Brussels. But until the end of December, UK law continues to apply in the UK at the British request, and by then pounds will also flow from London into the EU budget.

The real question is: what comes after? To ensure orderly conditions from 2021 onwards, the EU and the United Kingdom must now quickly negotiate a new basis for their partnership. The Commission's negotiating team, led by chief negotiator Michel Barnier, is ready to go. A deadline at the end of the year is still as sporty as a Hahnenkamm descent under two minutes due to the variety of topics. To save time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson can request a one-time extension of the transition period by one or two years until June 30. So far, however, he does not want to use this.

What about the deal?
In terms of content, the EU is striving for a comprehensive and ambitious agreement with the United Kingdom. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made it clear that the EU will go as far as it can. We are ready to allow zero tariffs and quotas to be traded - provided a level playing field to our internal market is maintained. Without a level playing field in terms of environmental, labor, data protection and aid law, the EU will not grant free access to the world's largest single market. Given the close trade relationship, economic aspects will play a central role in the new agreement. 47 percent of UK exports are destined for the EU, 53 percent of imports come from the EU.

The deadline is as sporty as a Hahnenkamm descent under two minutes.
The economic weight of the United Kingdom is reflected in the EU budget: there Brexit will fill a gap of around twelve billion euros annually. The Commission's proposal for the EU budget 2021-27 shows how the EU can still fulfill all of the member states' wishes in the best possible way without increasing the budget in relation to the gross national income of the EU-27: It tries to reduce the Brexit gap by reducing it catch.

It's not over yet ...
In view of the upcoming negotiations between London and Brussels, it is clear that the Brexit issue will not end with the Brexit on January 31. But: The uncertainty about when and whether it takes place is over. And that's the good thing in the sad. After all, uncertainty is not only a hindrance in the economy, but also in politics.

 However, it should not be forgotten that the EU has done everything possible to keep the United Kingdom on board. On the basis of a concept elaborated by the Commission over a period of twelve months, the Heads of State and Government agreed in February 2016 to strengthen the British special status. That should help Prime Minister David Cameron at the time to win over the population to stay in the Union. But after four decades of regular government and media talks to the British that the EU was to blame for everything bad in the world, nobody believed that everything would get better now. What happened next is history.

The Brexit debate showed the 27 Member States what they have in the EU. There is no shortage of issues that need to be tackled together - keywords climate protection, digitization and positioning of Europe in the world. Many of the challenges affect the global stage, and a close partnership with the UK helps to overcome them. We will do everything we can to create a basis for them. Friends should stay friends. Even after the divorce.