Theresa May met European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on the eve of a summit to approve a historic Brexit deal (AFP Photo/Philippe LOPEZ) |
Brussels
(AFP) - European Union leaders on Sunday approved a historic Brexit deal with
British Prime Minister Theresa May, and together warned rebellious MPs in
London this was the best and only option available.
Leaders
meeting at a special Brussels summit expressed sadness at the
"tragic" end of four decades of British EU membership, but said the
terms of the withdrawal were now set.
"This
is the best deal possible for Britain, this is the best deal possible for
Europe," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said after the
agreement was approved.
Juncker
emphasised that, after 17 months of gruelling negotiations, "this is the
only deal possible", warning: "Those who think by rejecting the deal,
they will have a better deal, will be disappointed."
The
agreement prepares for Britain's smooth exit on March 29, 2019, and sets out a
vision for "as close as possible a partnership " afterwards.
But May
faces a major battle to get the agreement through the House of Commons, with a
vote planned for next month.
MPs of all
parties -- including her own Conservatives -- say they will oppose it, with
many holding out hope of a better alternative.
"It
will certainly not be renegotiated and there will be no further room for
manoeuvre," said Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, whose country holds
the rotating EU presidency.
May herself
repeated this, telling reporters in Brussels: "This is the best possible
deal, it's the only possible deal."
The divorce
deal took 17 months to negotiate (AFP Photo/Emmanuel DUNAND)
|
'Sad day'
Irish Prime
Minister Leo Varadkar said the 27 leaders had made a "conscious
decision" not to discuss what might happen if MPs reject the deal.
"There
is no plan B," said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, adding: "This is
the max that we can all do."
He was
among several EU leaders to express their sadness that Britain was now a step
closer to leaving the bloc.
"This
is a historic summit and also historic day that evokes ambivalent
feelings," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"It is
tragic that Great Britain is leaving the EU after 45 years."
Asked if
she was also sad, May -- who joined the other 27 for closed-door talks after
they approved the deal -- replied: "No, but I recognise that others
do."
She added:
"I am full of optimism about the future."
'Time to
move on'
The
withdrawal agreement covers financial matters, citizens' rights, provisions to
keep open Britain's border with Ireland and arrangements for a 21-month
post-Brexit transition phase.
It is
accompanied by a short political declaration setting out hopes for future ties,
including security, trade and migration.
But, until
it passes the British and the European parliaments, all sides are still
planning for the potentially disastrous possibility that Britain leaves the EU
with no new arrangements in place.
European
Parliament president Antonio Tajani said a "large majority" of MEPs
were in favour of the deal.
The special
summit was almost derailed by a row over Gibraltar (AFP Photo/
JORGE GUERRERO)
|
But in
London, eurosceptic Conservatives and their Northern Irish allies have vowed to
reject a deal they says keeps Britain too close to the EU.
DUP leader
Arlene Foster said Sunday that if it passed, her party would "review"
its support May's government, instead calling for "a third way, a
different way, a better way".
But May
repeated that it her deal delivered on the 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU
and said it was "in the national interest for everyone to get behind
it".
"The
British people don't want to spend any more time arguing about Brexit,"
she told reporters, adding: "It's time for our country to move on."
Tensions
on fishing
The summit
risked being derailed by a late objection to the deal by Spain over the British
territory of Gibraltar.
The impasse
was resolved when Britain promised to continue bilateral talks with Madrid
after Brexit.
There are
also concerns in EU states such as France, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands
over fishing rights once Britain leaves the bloc's Common Fisheries Policy
after the transition, which ends in December 2020.
In an annex
to the summit conclusions, the 27 EU leaders says a fishing deal based on
"reciprocal access and existing quotas" should be agreed as a
priority after Brexit.
The divorce deal approved by Britain and the EU sets the stage for the end of a nearly 46-year marriage of convenience, built on prudence rather than shared dreams https://t.co/9zTpZJk0kS pic.twitter.com/GWIaiaTIaM— AFP news agency (@AFP) November 25, 2018
The Brexit deal marks a clear victory for Ireland -- one no-one in Britain saw coming and one which has raised the Irish government's standing at home and abroad https://t.co/iW15r9k9en— AFP news agency (@AFP) November 25, 2018
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