It is a triumphant tweet from Boris Johnson, illustrated by a photo of the British Prime Minister, tie adorned with small fish in tribute to fishermen, V-shaped arms and waved thumbs: “The deal is done”
(Editor's note: “Agreement concluded”)
.
"The clock is no longer ticking"
(Editor's note: "The clock does not turn anymore"),
confirmed at the same time in Brussels, with his French accent, Michel Barnier.
The chief negotiator of the EU presented to the press, alongside Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, the outline of this agreement of some 2000 pages governing trade relations between the Union and its former member the United Kingdom - the first to divorce in European history.
A “Happy Brexmast” - a play on words between Christmas and Brexit - for the British press, clearly a Christmas present.
VIDEO. Brexit: a "fair and balanced" agreement according to the EU; the "biggest trade deal" for Boris Johnson
The agreement was torn off after ten months of tense negotiations made more difficult by the Covid-19 pandemic, during a final sprint marked since Wednesday by a succession of acceleration and blockages to the rhythm of the phone calls of the most powerful chancelleries of the Twenty-Seven.
All against the backdrop of late night deliveries of pizzas on Wednesday evening and then sandwiches on Thursday, while the announcement of the "gift" kept being postponed, to the teams of negotiators of Michel Barnier and his British counterpart David Frost, at the Brussels headquarters of the Commission.
Everything had to be done, judged on both sides, to avoid the leap into the unknown of a "no deal" at the end of the transition period, on December 31 at midnight.
For Macron, "European unity and firmness" have "paid off"
Is there a winner in the deal?
In any case, everyone showed their satisfaction.
"An agreement, balanced […] which will protect European interests and also those of the United Kingdom", "a long-time friend" insisted Ursula von der Leyen, who did not hide her "relief" to obtain this “Deal”, which Chancellor Angela Merkel was pushing to crown her six-monthly presidency of the EU.
"European unity and firmness" have "paid off", greeted Emmanuel Macron.
"We have concluded the largest trade agreement so far, for 660 billion pounds (733 billion euros) per year", welcomed in London a radiant "BoJo".
He who bluffed to the end by claiming to be ready for a "no deal" to better "regain control" of British sovereignty, must however make concessions inherent in any agreement, especially on fishing.
“Access to British waters is preserved for our French and European fishermen.
Emmanuel Macron did not want to give up the weekend on this point, he did well, ”said LREM MEP Stéphane Séjourné, adviser to the Head of State.
Above all, British companies will have to comply with European Union rules - in terms of the environment, labor law, taxation, etc. - to gain access, without quotas or customs duties, to the single market of 450 million consumers.
"But it is also a day of sadness, if we compare what we had before and what we have now", rightly underlined Michel Barnier, saddened by the final departure of the United Kingdom.
What made this outcome possible when almost everyone predicted a no deal?
Over the past two weeks, the “bosses”, English Prime Minister Johnson and Commission President von der Leyen, have taken control of the dragging Barnier-Frost negotiations.
"It's the blow of the
bad cop-good cop
(Editor's note: good cop-bad cop)
, a classic of European diplomacy, Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen have overplayed their roles" decrypts Sylvain Kahn
(Editor's note: author, with Jacques Lévy, from “The country of the Europeans”, ed Odile Jacob)
, professor at Sciences-po.
The key to success was that the leaders of the Twenty-Seven trusted and let the Commission act. ”
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And now ?
"We must now verify that our essential points have been fully taken into account", warns the boss of the Quai d'Orsay, Jean-Yves Le Drian.
Clearly, 2000 pages to dissect in the 27 chancelleries.
In London, Parliament is expected to ratify the deal on December 30 ... while the European Parliament will not tackle it before January.