The final stage of a
harsh
“
Brexit
”, the European Parliament is expected to approve the EU's trade agreement with the United Kingdom on Tuesday, but without much hope of appeasement in the now tumultuous relations between London and Brussels.
The green light from MEPs on this agreement concluded in extremis on December 24th had become urgent: the provisional application of the text, effective since the beginning of the year, ends on Friday.
And the UK rules out any extensions.
Read also: Brexit: Annick Girardin announces to fishermen an envelope of 100 million euros
The vote will take place on Tuesday evening, after a 5-hour plenary debate, but its result, which is not in doubt, will not be officially communicated until 9:00 a.m. (07:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
"
I expect the text to be voted on at least by a three-quarters majority
," predicts German Social Democrat Bernd Lange, chairman of the International Trade Commission.
The ballot will be accompanied by the vote of a non-binding parliamentary resolution, in which elected officials qualify Brexit as a “
historic mistake
”.
They also demand that the European Parliament be fully involved in future discussions with London on the governance of this 1,250-page agreement, which now governs relations on both sides of the Channel, particularly at the commercial level.
"
Against our common interests
"
These have already been deeply affected by the British decision to leave the single market - official since January 31, 2020, but effective only since the beginning of the year.
On the trade front, European exports to the UK fell 20.2%, while UK imports into the EU fell 47% in the first two months of 2021, according to Eurostat.
Added to this is a crisis of confidence between the two partners, after several Downing Street decisions calling into question the previous agreement concluded with the EU, the 2019 Brexit Treaty, which organizes the divorce.
"
On many occasions, London has taken positions that go against our common interests and that has not helped to work in a calm climate
," Luxembourg MEP Christophe Hansen (EPP, right) told AFP.
"
It is important today that Boris Johnson keeps his promises and shows that he is trustworthy
," he adds.
The Europeans notably accuse London of having violated the Irish protocol contained in the Brexit treaty by postponing certain customs and health controls in Northern Ireland.
These controls should however be carried out between this British province and the rest of the United Kingdom, in order to avoid the return of a border to the island of Ireland.
Close a "regrettable chapter"
In protest, MEPs have long delayed the time to set a date to give the green light to the trade deal.
"
The British government should not interpret (Tuesday's vote) as a sign that we are letting our guard down,
" warns Austrian Social Democratic MEP Andreas Schieder, however.
From the effective access of European fishermen to British waters, through the place given to the City's financial services in the single market, several points of friction between London and Brussels remain unresolved today.
And the recent dispute over the continent's delays in supplying AstraZeneca vaccines, when the UK was supplied on time, has added fuel to the fire.
Read also: Brexit: the European Parliament will vote on the EU-UK trade agreement on April 27
"
The EU clearly wants to close this regrettable chapter
" of Brexit "
and relegate the EU-UK relationship to the rank of a third-order issue, preferably dealt with by technical committees
", explains Fabian Zuleeg, director general of the European think tank Policy Center.
"
But recent disputes, whether it is about the supply chains for Covid-19 vaccines or the implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol, demonstrate that the political commitment of both parties, and not just technical management will be necessary,
”he adds.