The United Kingdom has reached a Brexit trade deal with the European Union, seven days before it exits one of the world’s biggest trading blocs in its most significant global shift since the decline of colonialism.
Here are some of the reactions as the two parties reached the much-awaited deal:
Boris Johnson
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We have also today resolved a question which has bedevilled our politics for decades and it is up to us, all together, as a newly and truly independent nation to realise the immensity of this moment and to make the most of it.”
Referring to the EU, he said: “We will be your friend, your ally, your supporter and indeed, never let it be forgotten, your number one market.”
Angela Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she expects Germany will be able to decide quickly whether to back the deal.
“The federal government will now closely examine the text of the agreement. But we are not starting at zero. The Commission has kept the member states in the loop during the entire negotiation process,” she said.
Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron said the united and firm position taken by Europe has paid off.
“The unity and strength of Europe paid off. The agreement with the United Kingdom is essential to protect our citizens, our fishermen, our producers. We will make sure that this is the case,” Macron said on Twitter.
“Europe is advancing and can look towards the future, in a united and sovereign manner, and with strength.”
Theresa May
“Very welcome news that the UK & EU have reached agreement on the terms of a deal – one that provides confidence to business and helps keep trade flowing. Looking forward to seeing the detail in the coming days,” the former British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Twitter.
Pedro Sanchez
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Madrid and London will continue to negotiate an agreement on the British territory of Gibraltar on the Iberian Peninsula.
“I welcome the principle of agreement between the EU and the UK… Spain and the UK continue their dialogue to reach an agreement on Gibraltar,” Sanchez said in a tweet.
Alexander De Croo
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said: “In the end, there is only one thing that matters to me: ensuring the best possible protection for Belgium’s economic interests. We must protect our Belgian companies from unfair British competition.
“With this agreement, we can put the intense discussions of the past four years behind us. Now we can work on building a new, strong relationship with the United Kingdom, which has always been a historic partner for our country. It is now time to look to the future.”
Simon Coveney
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told the Newstalk Radio network: “Today we finally get certainty that there is a trade deal that I think protects Ireland in the circumstances as well as we could possibly have hoped.”
Stef Blok
Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said in a statement the Netherlands would “carefully study the draft texts”, especially the agreements on a level playing field between the EU and the UK, the access of Dutch fishers to British waters and the governance of the agreement.
“There is very little time to do this. Before a decision is made in Brussels, the government will send an initial assessment of the agreement to parliament, so that it has an opportunity to discuss the agreement,” Blok said.
Antonio Costa
Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa said: “We warmly welcome the agreement reached with the United Kingdom on the relationship with the EU from 1 January. UK will remain, in addition to our neighbour and ally, an important partner.”
British Retail Consortium
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, welcomed the Brexit trade deal.
“After years of campaigning for zero-tariff trade, we welcome the announcement of a free-trade agreement between the UK and EU. This protects consumers on both sides of the Channel from billions in import tariffs on everyday goods. Given that four-fifths of UK food imports come from the EU, today’s announcement should afford households around the UK a collective sigh of relief,” she said.
UK’s Food and Drink Federation
Ian Wright, chief executive of the UK’s Food and Drink Federation, has complained about the delay in clinching the deal.
“The prime minister promised UK businesses over a year of transition in which to adapt to a new set of rules. He has delivered us four working days. Food and drink manufacturers will do their best to keep food flowing,” he said.
“However, this week’s chaos at Dover and the last gasp nature of this deal means that there will be significant disruption to supply and some prices will rise. Disappointed shoppers and consumers will rightly ask why a deal had to take so long.”
