Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community

Subject: Joint Statement supplementing the Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

This text has been agreed at negotiators' level, agreed between Prime Minister May and the President of the European Commission Juncker on 11 March 2019 in Strasbourg, and has been endorsed by the European Commission on the same day.

The statement declares that:

(1) There is a shared and solemn regard for the vision for the future relationship detailed in the Political Declaration. The Union and the United Kingdom have committed to use best endeavours, in good faith and in full respect of the respective legal orders, to take necessary steps to negotiate expeditiously the agreements governing their future relationship referred to in the Political Declaration;

(2) The Union and the United Kingdom have the shared ambition to have the future relationship in place by the end of the transition period. To this end, the Union and the United Kingdom have confirmed that immediately following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal, they will take the steps necessary to begin formal negotiations;

(3) The Union and the United Kingdom will  expeditiously: (a) identify those areas which are likely to require the greatest consideration, and the associated technical and legal issues that will need to be addressed, in order that the necessary technical preparations can be made on both sides; and (b) draw up a full schedule for the negotiations;

(4) In the context of open and fair competition, the Union notes the United Kingdom’s intention to ensure that its social and employment standards and its environmental standards do not regress from those in place at the end of the transition period, and to provide its Parliament the opportunity to consider future changes in Union law in these areas;

(5) Given the Union’s and the United Kingdom’s firm commitment to work at speed on a subsequent agreement that establishes by 31 December 2020 alternative arrangements such that the backstop solution in the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland will not need to be applied, a specific negotiating track will be established at the outset and as part of the negotiations to lead the analysis and development of these alternative arrangements.

In support of their work on alternative arrangements, both the Union and the United Kingdom will consult with private sector experts, businesses, trade unions, the institutions established under the Good Friday or Belfast Agreement, and appropriate involvement of parliaments.