The first phase of Brexit is due to come to a close at the end of this month. With Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill set to pass the House of Commons, the United Kingdom and the European Union will now proceed to hammer out an agreement that will determine their future trading relationship. This process is likely to bring with it a new series of accusations and counter-accusations as the two sides seek to defend their interests in defining the terms of future trade.
The upcoming decade also presents opportunities – both for Britain and for the European project. Once the rhetoric, rancour and recriminations unleashed by the 2016 referendum have been resolved, there is every reason to believe that both Britain and the EU can proceed with renewed amity and goodwill.
