UK Withdrawal from the European Union — Withdrawal — Withdrawal Agreement — 29 Mar 2019 at 14:11

The majority of MPs voted against leaving the European Union with a [withdrawal] agreement as soon as possible and not to approve the negotiated withdrawal agreement and associated documents.

The motion rejected by the majority of MPs in this vote was:

• That this House
• notes the European Council Decision of 22 March 2019 taken in agreement with the United Kingdom extending the period under Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union, which provides for an extension to the Article 50 period to 22 May 2019 only if the House of Commons approves the Withdrawal Agreement by 29 March 2019;
• notes that if the House does not do so by that date the Article 50 period will only as a matter of law be extended to 12 April 2019 and that any extension beyond 22 May 2019 would require the UK to bring forward the necessary Day of Poll Order to hold elections to the European Parliament;
• notes that Article 184 of the Withdrawal Agreement refers to the Political Declaration between the UK and EU agreed on 25 November 2018, but that the EU has stated it remains open to negotiating changes to the Political Declaration;
• notes that the House is currently undertaking deliberations to identify whether there is a design for the future relationship that commands its support;
• notes that even should changes be sought to the Political Declaration, leaving the European Union with a deal still requires the Withdrawal Agreement;
• declares that it wishes to leave the EU with an agreement as soon as possible and does not wish to have a longer extension;
• therefore approves the Withdrawal Agreement, the Joint Instrument and the Unilateral Declaration laid before the House on 11 March 2019 so that the UK can leave the EU on 22 May 2019;
• notes that this approval does not by itself meet the requirements of section 13(1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018; and
• resolves that it is content to proceed to the next steps of this process, including fulfilling section 13 of this Act.

The negotiated withdrawal agreement, which was substantively the same as that negotiated in November 2018, provided for^[1]:

• * an "implementation period" running until 31 December 2020 during which European Union law and rules generally continue to apply in the UK. At the end of the period the new arrangements for a relationship between the United Kingdom and European Union would come into force.
• * an option for the implementation period to be extended, subject to mutual agreement.
• * the protection the rights of of European Union citizens in the United Kingdom and United Kingdom nationals in the European Union, ensuring they can continue to live their lives broadly in the same way. This includes the protection of benefit, pension and reciprocal healthcare rights.
• * the free circulation of goods on the EU or UK market before the end of the implementation period.
• * a financial settlement in the order of £35-39 billion, covering participation in the European Union's budgets during 2019 and 2020, and sharing in ongoing receipts and liabilities, such as European Union staff and European Parliament member, pensions.
• * a commitment to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland and that there will be no split in the UK’s customs territory.

The "Joint Instrument" referred to in the motion presumably refers to the "11 March Instrument relating to the agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community"^[2] which is a treaty between the United Kingdom and the European Union reaffirming elements of the withdrawal agreement and in particular setting out:

• * a wish to establish a future partnership that is as close and strong as possible
• * that the parties do not wish the backstop solution in the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland [contained with in the Withdrawal Agreement to become applicable. (The "backstop" apparently refers to the single customs territory between the European Union and the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, provided for in Article 6 of the protocol.)
• * that the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland will be subject to regular reviews and a dispute resolution procedure.

The "Unilateral Declaration" mentioned in the motion presumably refers to the "Declaration by Her Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the Northern Ireland Protocol"^[3] which sets out:

• * a wish to establish a future partnership that is as close and strong as possible
• * that the provisions of the withdrawal agreement are intended to apply only temporarily.
• [1] Explainer for the agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union, Gov.uk, 14 November 2018
• [2] Instrument relating to the agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, 11 March 2019, Gov.uk
• [3] Declaration by Her Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the Northern Ireland Protocol, 11 March 2019, Gov.uk

Debate in Parliament |