영국•EU, 4년반 만에 무혁협상 타결…'브렉시트' 마무리
16-hundred-and-forty-three days after Britain voted to leave the European Union.
The two sides managed to sidestep a no-deal Brexit on Christmas Eve.
Three extensions on reaching a deal on trade and future relations,... and political spats that stalled negotiations.
Oh Soo-young has the latest.
British PM Boris Johnson finally "got Brexit done," reaching a deal with the European Union on trade and other contentious issues, a week before the UK's departure transition ends.
Following a final call between Johnson and European commission president Ursula von der Leyen,... Downing Street announced Thursday that "the deal is done."
On the biggest sticking point -- trade: the two sides agreed on zero tariffs and quotas,... to smoothen the trade of goods across the channel,... as the UK leaves the EU's single market and customs union, as of January first.
This does not, however, cover services, which make up 80 percent of the UK economy.
On fishing,... a major political red line that stalled progress in the final days of talks,... the UK will take back 25 percent of EU boats' rights to fish in British waters over the next five-and-a-half years.
The two sides were also able to compromise on environmental, social, and labor standards,... as well as a mechanism for resolving trade disputes.
This comes four years after the UK's referendum in 2016, when Brexiteers gained an extremely narrow victory,... calling for Britain to "take back control" of its sovereignty from Brussels.
But a divorce deal was anything but easy to negotiate,... held up by major sticking points centered on trade, from border checks and competition rules to fishing and financial services.
Other important issues included security, data, and foreign policy.
The UK parliament is set to convene on Wednesday to ratify the comprehensive Brexit agreement.
After four years of economic uncertainty arising from the bitter negotiations,... markets reacted to the landmark deal, ending higher Thursday, before heading into the Christmas holiday weekend.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.
