This is ultimately what a majority of European officials hoped for, meeting in Brussels on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 December, hoped: a clear victory for one of the two sides, whatever it is, to put an end to the endless Brexit saga. Whether they like Boris Johnson or not – and on this point too, opinions differ – these leaders wanted above all to turn the page on an episode that has plagued the life of the Union for four years. "For far too long, in fact", added, on the night of Thursday to Friday, a diplomat. On Friday morning, the heads of state and government had to express their willingness to take the next step: developing the "new relationship" with London.
Thursday evening, as soon as the trend indicating a large victory for the Tories was confirmed, Amélie de Montchalin, Secretary of State for European Affairs, summed up a general feeling: "What we were waiting for is a clarification and it seems to be there. The most important thing with Brexit is not how we get divorced, but what we will build next. " "What we need now is to establish the strongest possible relationship", added a diplomatic source.
"Those who don't take it seriously are wrong", said Emmanuel Macron in October at a previous European Council, when some of his peers still saw in Boris Johnson only a former journalist author of fake news and a bluffer who, two months earlier, had made himself strong to obtain a renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement from his country. As for Charles Michel, the President of the Council, he adopted a more pragmatic attitude than his predecessor, Donald Tusk, who kept talking about his sadness at the error "Most spectacular history" what, according to him, was Brexit. "We are ready for the next step, that of close cooperation", said the Belgian official. For the record, Mr. Michel represents Great Britain at this summit, as asked by Mr. Johnson, absent from the meeting.
" Vital minimum "
The 27 now count on the rapid vote by the House of Commons of the withdrawal agreement, and therefore on an exit from the United Kingdom which took place on January 31, 2020. The agreement set the conditions for divorce after forty -seven years of an eventful union, and notably evokes the rights of citizens and the respect of financial commitments. It introduces a transition period until the end of 2020. During this period, European rules will continue to apply in the United Kingdom.
