The Withdrawal Bill passes, but the EU’s divorce bill still stands

Whatever is passed in Parliament, has everyone forgotten what the EU-UK Treaty says?

© Brexit Facts4EU.Org

In January, Boris’s Withdrawal Agreement becomes an International Treaty

The EU Withdrawal Bill was finally been passed at second reading in the House of Commons yesterday, three-and-a-half years after the British people voted to leave the EU. A pro-Brexit government has “a stonking majority”, the Grieves, Soubrys and Umunnas are seeking alternmative employment, and there are only four days until Christmas.

Not only that, but Boris Johnson is committing in law to leaving the EU completely on 31 Dec 2020.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Yesterday in Parliament Boris Johnson said that:

“This will be with no alignment on EU rules, but instead with control of our own laws, and close and friendly relations.

“This vision of the United Kingdom’s independence, a vision that inspires so many, is now, if this new Parliament allows, only hours from our grasp. The oven is on. It is set at gas mark 4; we can have this done by lunchtime — or a late lunchtime.

“The new deal that I negotiated with our European friends will restore our great institutions to their rightful place as the supreme instruments of British self-governance. Once again, this House will be the only assembly able to legislate for this United Kingdom, and British courts will be the sole arbiters of those laws, and above them all will be the sovereign British people, masters of their own fate, controlling their own borders, laws, money and trade.”

No wonder Brexiteers are in good cheer.

There’s just one problem : the international Treaty which Mr Johnson will sign with the EU next month

We are not lawyers, but then we have actually read the “Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration”, and we discussed it with a British barrister based in Brussels. We even produced one of our famous “one-pagers” on it, the day after it was published by the EU.

The government has said nothing about further re-negotiation of these documents, which will in effect become an International Treaty between the United Kingdom and the European Union in a few weeks’ time.

Click to enlarge

It is therefore understood that the obligations, rights and responsibilities contained in the documents issued by the EU on 12 November 2019 in the Official Journal of the European Union will stand as drafted and agreed.

The Prime Minister will be signing a binding International Treaty with the EU.

The two big questions are therefore:

  1. What happens when the terms of this Treaty contradict what the UK Government puts into law in the UK?
  2. What happens when this Treaty contradicts what Mr Johnson has told Parliament and the British people?

Why is no-one asking about the EU’s outrageous “Divorce Bill”?

As an example of what Mr Johnson will be signing up to, the EU’s demands for financial compensation from the UK are stipulated in the Withdrawal Agreement agreed by Mr Johnson, along with all the other obligations. It is the EU who will decide the sum.

According to the new Treaty, the UK will still have financial obligations to the EU for well over half a century. We have published the details on this before, but if readers wish they can plough through Articles 138-144, and 152-155, which relate to this one matter alone.

Observations

The direction of travel from the Prime Minister is extremely welcome, regardless of our article above. We are now in a much better place than we were only six months ago.

As readers are planning and shopping for the Christmas period, it is possibly not the best time to run an article which brings us all back down to earth. In the end we decided it was better to say something, as this is potentially so serious. Someone has to do it.

We should all be thrilled that things are moving in the right direction after all these years, but Brexit is not yet done. And the fallout if Mr Johnson signs the Treaty with the EU next month may last for a long time.

We just hope that the positive and optimistic mood engendered in most of the country by Mr Johnson’s undoubted talents will not only take us all though Christmas and New Year, but will last a great deal longer.

IMPORTANT: If you would like us to continue into our fifth year, please consider making a Christmas donation. (Links are below.) We will run as many positive stories as possible, we will continue to show up the EU for what it is, and we will continue to shine a bright Brexit light on what is being done in our name.

Our objective continues to be that of seeing a thriving, independent, and sovereign nation of which we can all be truly proud.

[ Sources: Hansard | EU Commission ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, 21 December 2019

Click here to go to our news headlines

And please scroll down to COMMENT on the above article.

Share this article on

Something to say about this? Scroll down for reader comments

Since before the EU Referendum, Brexit Facts4EU.Org
has been the most prolific researcher and publisher of Brexit facts in the world.

Supported by MPs, MEPs, & other groups, our work has impact.

We think facts matter. Please donate today, so that we can continue to ensure a clean Brexit is finally delivered.

Any credit card user

Quick One-off

Donate

From £5 - £1,000

Monthly

Subscribe

From £3 per month

Paypal Users Only - Choose amount first

Quick One-off

Monthly