On 12 and 13 may, the EP held the first EU - United Kingdom Parliamentary Partnership Assembly meeting, composed of 35 members each from the EP and the UK parliament. TThe meeting will be opened by EP President Roberta Metsola, House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle (TBC) and Lord Speaker Lord McFall of Alcluith (TBC). EU-UK cooperation on the war in Ukraine and energy are among the topics to be discussed.

EU-UK relations are changed following Brexit and the deal reached at the end of 2020. The United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020, after 47 years of EU membership. The UK has lost all the rights and benefits it had as an EU Member State and is no longer a part of the EU’s Single Market and Customs Union.

The EU-UK withdrawal agreement in force since 1 February 2020, ensured that the UK’s withdrawal from the EU happened in an orderly manner, and protects the rights of EU citizens and UK nationals, the EU’s financial interests, and peace and stability on the island of Ireland.

The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and the UK sets out preferential arrangements in areas such as trade in goods and in services, digital trade, intellectual property, public procurement, aviation and road transport, energy, fisheries, social security coordination, law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, thematic cooperation and participation in Union programmes. In April 2021 the European Parliament voted with a large majority in favour of granting also its consent to the agreement. In the resolution Parliament strongly welcomed the conclusion of the Agreement that limits the negative consequences of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, which it considers a “historic mistake” as no third country can enjoy the same benefits as an EU member.

The withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union has had implications for access to the resources in the maritime space traditionally used by fishing vessels of both Parties. The Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement laid down the rules that will be in effect until at least 30 June 2026. However, the initial months of application of these rules revealed a number of outstanding points and issues that have not yet been fully resolved.

Opening remarks by Roberta METSOLA, EP President Tribute to Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom (minute of silence) and to Mikhail Gorbachev, Former President of the Soviet Union

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