Abstract
Once the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) was finalised and ratified, the EU and the UK shifted their focus to the next phase of the Brexit process, namely negotiations on arrangements governing their future relationship. This was a high stakes exercise for both sides with consequences for their economies, citizens, politics, businesses and neighbourly relations. The chapter begins by outlining the starting positions of both parties and proceeds to analyse the evolution of the talks over the eleven month transition period. The negotiations took off to a very slow start and suffered the disruption of Covid-19 but the pace quickened in autumn 2020 culminating in agreement on a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) by the end of December. This enabled the UK to end the transition period with a deal on its future relations with the EU.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Barnier, M. 2020a. Letter from Michel Barnier to David Frost, May 20. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/brexit_files/info_site/uktf20203060790_-_mb_-_reply_to_df.pdf. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Barnier, M. 2020b. Press statement by Michel Barnier following Round 6 of the negotiations for a new partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/de/STATEMENT_20_1400. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Barnier, M. 2020c. Press statement by Michel Barnier following the second round of future relationship negotiations with the United Kingdom. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/STATEMENT_20_739. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Barnier, M. 2020d. Remarks by Michel Barnier. Eurofi General Assembly. 30 June 2020. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/speech-barnier-eurofi-30062020d_en.pdf. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Barnier, M. 2020e. Remarks by Michel Barnier following Round 3 of negotiations for a new partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_895. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Barnier, M. 2020f. Speech by Michel Barnier at the William J. Clinton Leadership Institute. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_133. Accessed 25 October 2022.
Barnier, M. 2020g. Speech by Michel Barnier to the students at ESCP Europe: Cooperation in the Age of Brexit. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/SPEECH_20_340. Accessed 25 October 2022.
Barnier, M. 2020h. Statement by Michel Barnier following Round 4 of negotiations for a new partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Barnier, M. 2020i. Statement by Michel Barnier following Round 8 of negotiations for a new partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/STATEMENT_20_1612. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Barnier, M. 2021. My secret Brexit diary. A glorious illusion. Cambridge: Polity Press.
BBC. 2020. EU trade talks aim for ‘tangible progress’ by June. Available at https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52298790. Accessed 25 October 2022.
Byrne Wallace. 2020. The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill 2020. Available at https://byrnewallace.com/news-and-recentwork/publications/the-united-kingdom-internal-market-bill-2020.html. Accessed 23 February 2021.
Connelly, T. 2020. Brexit: Time the real enemy as talks enter fateful 10 days. RTE. Available at: https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-comment/2020/1107/1176519-time-the-real-enemy-as-talks-enter-fateful-10-days/. Accessed: 14 December 2022.
Council of the European Union. 2020a. Annex to council decision authorising the opening of negotiations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for a new partnership agreement. Available at https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/42736/st05870-ad01re03-en20.pdf. Accessed 25 October 2022.
Council of the European Union. 2020b. Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/266 of 25 February 2020 authorising the opening of negotiations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for a new partnership agreement. Available at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32020D0266&WT.mc_id=Twitter. Accessed 25 October 2022.
EU and UK. 2019. Revised political declaration. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/revised-political-declaration_en. Accessed 19 October 2022.
EU and UK. 2020a. EU-UK statement following the high level meeting on 15 June 2020. Available at https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/06/15/eu-uk-statement-following-the-high-level-meeting-on-15-june-2020/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
EU and UK. 2020b. Joint statement from European Commission President von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_20_2331. Accessed 26 October 2022.
EU and UK. 2020c. Joint statement from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen: 13 December 2020. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-from-uk-prime-minister-boris-johnson-and-european-commission-president-ursula-von-der-leyen-13-december-2020c. Accessed 26 October 2022.
EU and UK. 2020d. Terms of reference on the UK-EU future relationship negotiations. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terms-of-reference-on-the-uk-eu-future-relationship-negotiations. Accessed 25 October 2022.
EU and UK. 2022. Joint statement by EU and UK negotiators following the videoconference on 15 April 2020. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/STATEMENT_20_672. Accessed 26 October 2022.
European Commission. 2020a. Draft text of the agreement on the new partnership with the United Kingdom. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/draft-text-agreement-new-partnership-united-kingdom_en. Accessed 14 October 2022.
European Commission. 2020b. EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement: A new relationship with big changes. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/brexit_files/info_site/6_pager_final.pdf.
European Commission. 2020c. Foreign policy, security and defence part of the draft text of the agreement on the new partnership with the United Kingdom. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/200318-draft-agreement-forpolsec.pdf. Accessed 25 October 2022.
European Commission. 2020d. Getting ready for changes – Communication on readiness at the end of the transition period between the European Union and the United Kingdom. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/getting-ready-changes-communication-readiness-end-transition-period-between-european-union-and-united-kingdom. Accessed 26 October 2022.
European Commission. 2020e. Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations for a new partnership with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/communication-annex-negotiating-directives.pdf. Accessed 25 October 2022.
European Commission. 2020f. Statement by the European Commission following the extraordinary meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/STATEMENT_20_1607. Accessed 21 October 2022.
European Council. 2020. European Council conclusions, 15–16 October 2020. Available at https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/10/16/european-council-conclusions-15-16-october-2020/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Financial Times. 2020. Brussels signals compromise possible in ‘level playing field’ talks. Available at https://www.ft.com/content/262cfc12-6649-4783-8d8c-db0967d77acc. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Frost, D. 2020a. David Frost’s statement at the end of round 3 negotiations with the EU. Available at https://no10media.blog.gov.uk/2020a/05/15/david-frosts-statement-at-the-end-of-round-3-negotiations-with-the-eu/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Frost, D. 2020b. David Frost’s statement following the conclusion of round 4 negotiations with the EU. Available at https://no10media.blog.gov.uk/2020b/06/05/david-frosts-statement-following-the-conclusion-of-round-4-negotiations-with-the-eu/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Frost, D. 2020c. David Frost’s statement following the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the EU. Available at https://no10media.blog.gov.uk/2020c/07/02/david-frosts-statement-following-the-conclusion-of-the-round-of-negotiations-with-the-eu-w-c-29-june/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Frost, D. 2020d. David Frost lecture: Reflections on the revolutions in Europe. Available at https://no10media.blog.gov.uk/2020d/02/17/david-frost-lecture-reflections-on-the-revolutions-in-europe/. Accessed 25 October 2022.
Frost, D. 2020e. Letter from David Frost to Michel Barnier (19 May 2020). Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/886168/Letter_to_Michel_Barnier_19.05.20.pdf. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Frost, D. 2020f. Lord Frost statement after Round 8 of the negotiations. Available at https://no10media.blog.gov.uk/2020f/09/10/lord-frost-statement-after-round-8-of-the-negotiations/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
HM Government. 2020a. Draft working text for a fisheries framework agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/886009/DRAFT_Fisheries_Framework_Agreement.pdf. Accessed 26 October 2022.
HM Government. 2020b. Our approach to the future relationship with the EU. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-approach-to-the-future-relationship-with-the-eu. Accessed 26 October 2022.
HM Government. 2020c. Statement on round two of UK-EU negotiations. Available at https://no10media.blog.gov.uk/2020c/04/24/statement-on-round-two-of-uk-eu-negotiations/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
HM Government. 2020d. The future relationship with the EU. The UK’s approach to negotiations. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-approach-to-the-future-relationship-with-the-eu. Accessed 25 October 2022.
House of Commons. 2020a. Committee on the future relationship with the European Union. Oral evidence: Progress of the negotiations on the UK’s Future Relationship with the EU, HC 203. Available at https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/313/pdf/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
House of Commons. 2020b. European Union (withdrawal agreement) act 2020. Available at https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2517/stages. Accessed 25 October 2022.
Hughes, D. 2020. Spanish foreign minister calls for end to ‘posturing’ in UK-EU talks. Gibraltar Chronicle. Available at https://www.chronicle.gi/spanish-foreign-minister-calls-for-end-to-posturing-in-uk-eu-talks/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Johnson, B. 2020a. PM speech in Greenwich: 3 February 2020. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-in-greenwich-3-february-2020. Accessed 25 October 2022.
Johnson, B. 2020b. UK / EU relations. Statement made on 3 February 2020. Available at https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2020-02-03/HCWS86. Accessed 25 October 2022.
McClements, F. 2020. NI Assembly passes a motion rejecting Internal Market Bill, Irish Times, September 22. Available at https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/ni-assembly-passes-motionrejecting-internal-market-bill-1.4361833. Accessed 23 February 2021.
von der Leyen, U. 2020a. Speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 10–11 December. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_2204. Accessed 26 October 2022.
von der Leyen, U. 2020b. Speech by President von der Leyen at the London School of Economics on ‘Old friends, new beginnings: building another future for the EU-UK partnership’. Available at https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi3gYi2wfv6AhURhv0HHSjcDIUQFnoECAgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fec.europa.eu%2Fcommission%2Fpresscorner%2Fapi%2Ffiles%2Fdocument%2Fprint%2Fen%2Fspeech_20_3%2FSPEECH_20_3_EN.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3bh. Accessed 25 October 2022.
von der Leyen, U. 2020c. Tweet. EU-UK talks: the EU continues to work for a deal, but not at any price. Available at https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1317067827518574593. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Reuters. 2020a. Factbox: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s statement on Brexit talks. Available at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-johnson-quotes-factbox-idCAKBN2711M2. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Reuters. 2020b. UK bill will break international law ‘in limited way,’ minister says. Available at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-lewis-law-idINKBN25Z1ZS. Accessed 26 October 2022.
RTE. 2020. Johnson, Von der Leyen agree to ‘redouble efforts’ to reach deal. Available at https://www.rte.ie/news/brexit/2020/1107/1176566-brexit/. Accessed 26 October 2022.
UK Parliament. 2020. United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. Available at https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2775/stages. Accessed 26 October 2022.
Usherwood, S. 2021. Our European friends and partners? Negotiating the trade and cooperation agreement. Journal of Common Market Studies 59: 115–123. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.13238.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Laffan, B., Telle, S. (2023). The Trade and Cooperation Agreement. In: The EU's Response to Brexit. Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26263-0_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26263-0_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-26262-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-26263-0
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)