The UK and the EU have agreed a draft political declaration that pledges an “ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership.” The draft is due to be approved at a summit on Sunday. Donald Tusk, the European Council president, said the draft declaration had “been agreed at negotiators” level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of EU leaders. Now, the divorce negotiations are truly over.
The political declaration settles nothing. It binds nobody. It does not give answers on what the future relationship will be, it merely sets out the choices and those choices remain the same as they have always been. This is a statement of intent which aims to give guidance on the aims for the future relationship and provides a broad framework for negotiation.
