Brexit
UK PM Johnson defeated on Brexit legislation for first time since election
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was defeated in parliament on Monday (20 January) for the first time since a December election, with the upper chamber voting in favour of a move to protect the rights of EU citizens in Britain after Brexit.
Brexit to be sealed with final Brussels vote
Brexit Day is to be set in stone Wednesday (29 January) when the European Parliament in Brussels casts a vote ratifying the terms of Britain's divorce deal from the EU.
The Brief – Don’t pull up the drawbridge
The end of freedom of movement is one of the most iconic changes heralded by the UK’s exit from the European Union this week. The days of EU nationals being able to able to move to the UK and find...
EU could use carbon border tax against Brexit Britain, warns MEP
The EU could deploy a carbon border tax against the UK after Brexit, according to the head of the European Parliament’s environment committee, if Westminster diverges from bloc rules on issues like carbon markets.
Brexit’s new chapter: the ‘impossible’ trade deal
With just days to go before Brexit, European diplomats are already hard at work for the next phase: negotiations to hammer out a future with Britain after its EU divorce.
EU tells UK it will ‘never, never, never’ compromise on single market
The European Union will "never, never, never" compromise on the integrity of its single market, its chief Brexit negotiator warned Britain on Monday (27 January), saying London must now face reality after underestimating the costs of leaving.
Brexit redraws European Parliament battle lines
This Friday's (31 January) Brexit and the departure of Britain's MEPs will shake up the balance of power in the European Parliament and could complicate Brussels' reform agenda.
Brussels picks post-Brexit UK ambassador
The European Union appointed its first post-Brexit ambassador to the United Kingdom on Friday (24 January), choosing one of the most experienced officials on the foreign affairs services' roster to oversee relations and the implementation of the withdrawal agreement after 31 January.
Electric shock: Could Brexit scar Britain’s energy landscape?
Britain's exit from the EU, which will finally happen on Friday (31 January), has sparked fears of disruption to its electricity market, from higher bills to supply issues and stalled de-carbonisation efforts.
Will Brexit see European division at the UN Security Council?
In a recent UN Security Council vote on extending cross-border aid to Syria, Britain aligned with the United States and abstained in a rare split with its European partners that could herald others to come after Brexit.
Rhetoric without detail marks the UK’s scramble for Africa
The long-awaited UK-Africa investment summit, staged just days before London formally leaves the EU on 31 January, left little to be remembered by. In keeping with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s style, the two-day event was long on optimistic rhetoric but decidedly thin on details
Business leaders urge UK to loosen rules on post-Brexit migration
UK business leaders have urged Boris Johnson’s government to loosen its planned rules for post-Brexit migration, notably by dropping the minimum income needed to live and work in the UK.
EU chiefs sign Brexit deal ahead of parliamentary vote
Brussels' two top officials, the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council, signed off on Britain's EU divorce agreement Friday (24 January).
Even ‘bare bones’ EU-UK deal will be complex, tough to clinch: diplomats
Wrapping up even a "bare bones" deal on the future relationship between the European Union and Britain will be fraught with complexity and, with so little time to get it done, a painful "hard" Brexit on 31 December cannot be ruled out, diplomats said.
The Brief – A time for generosity
Boris Johnson will probably never be as powerful as he is now. A big majority, an opposition that is broken, possibly terminally. So he can afford a little generosity. But for the moment, unfortunately, he’s not prepared to offer it...
UK is facing ‘900,000 people individual cliff-edges’
Professor Tanja Bueltmann tells EURACTIV that the UK government is sleep-walking towards a major scandal unless it makes changes to its Settled Status scheme for EU nationals living in the UK.
Breton fishermen fear being shut out of British waters after Brexit
Fishermen from France’s Brittany region have asked the European Commission to address the uncertainty caused by Brexit for the fisheries sector, ensuring access by European fishermen to fish in British waters.
Give EU nationals physical proof of UK status, landlords urge Johnson
Landlords and civil society campaigners have urged Boris Johnson’s government to provide physical proof for EU citizens living in the UK, warning that landlords and employers could otherwise be reluctant to let a home or offer a job to EU citizens.
Macron and Le Pen’s MEPs to be on equal footing after Brexit
Once the UK leaves the EU on 31 January, new MEPs will be taking up seats in the European Parliament. Due to its growing population, France will obtain five of 27 new seats. EURACTIV France reports.
Report: UK must replace €2bn EU cash with new regional funding
The UK government needs to provide £1.8 billion (€2.1 billion) per year to the poorest regions of the country to mitigate the loss of EU Cohesion funds, as part of a new Shared Prosperity Fund, according to a new report published on Friday (17 January).
Pantomime, travel and rest: What comes next for Britain’s MEPs
Britain's 73 EU lawmakers packed up their offices in Strasbourg on Thursday (16 January): for some a moment of triumph, for others, disaster.
UK minister defends EU settlement scheme as applications surge
The United Kingdom on Thursday (16 January) defended its much-criticised scheme to guarantee the rights of EU nationals after Brexit, as the country’s Home Office announced that a vast majority have already applied for settled status.
MEPs express ‘grave concern’ about Brexit citizens’ rights regime
Lawmakers in the European Parliament have urged the UK government to overhaul its regime for EU citizens’ rights after Brexit, expressing ‘grave concern’ about its EU Settlement Scheme.
Spain pushes for prioritising services in EU-UK deal
Spain on Monday (13 January) called for the inclusion of services in the first phase of EU-UK negotiations on the future relationship, adding more complexity to trade talks that must be concluded before the transition period ends on 31 December.
