On 24 November, after 20 months of complex and technical negotiations, Prime Minister Theresa May returned from Brussels with an agreement secured with the European Union on the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU and of the future relationship with the Union. The texts setting out these terms will now be considered by both the UK Parliament and the European Parliament, and we anticipate that a vote in the UK Parliament will take place in mid-December.
The Withdrawal Agreement, which contains the terms of agreement for the UK’s exit, sets out an Implementation period from the 29 March 2019 until the beginning of the UK’s new relationship with the EU. During this period, most EU rights and obligations will continue to apply in the UK as they do now. This will provide important certainty for businesses and citizens.
The Political Declaration sets out the scope of the future relationship between the UK and EU and includes an agreement on the creation of a free trade area for goods – crucial to safeguard the integrated supply chains and to support companies doing business with the UK and EU in future.
As the Prime Minister has made clear – most recently in her open letter re-published today in this paper – the UK Government is committed to securing the best possible outcome for all the Overseas Territories, including Anguilla, in the exit process. The Overseas Territories are covered by the territorial scope of the Withdrawal Agreement, which means they are included in the arrangements for the Implementation Period which will begin on 29 March 2019, and that the Overseas Association Decision – designed to promote close relations between Overseas Countries and Territories of the EU and the European Community – will continue to apply during the Implementation Period.
Furthermore, the Overseas Territories will also continue to be able to access European Development Fund monies as normal until all commitments are disbursed. For Anguilla, this means that the current programme of funding until 2020 will continue.
Alongside ensuring that Anguilla’s interests are considered in the formal negotiating rounds between Brussels and the UK, the Deputy Governor and I have been continuing to build on our strong relationships with our counterparts on both sides of St Martin on a range of issues of mutual interest, including Brexit. Meetings this week with Saint Martin’s Prefete, for example, focused on how we can continue to cooperate in the best interest of citizens on issues such as immigration and movement rights, and on safety and security of passage between our islands.
I am very happy to answer any questions you may have.
