Draft text of the Agreement on the New Partnership with the United Kingdom

The European Commission's draft legal agreement for the future EU-UK partnership translates into a legal text the negotiating directives approved by EU Member States in the General Affairs Council on 25 February 2020, in line with the Political Declaration agreed between the EU and the UK in October 2019.

This negotiating document was transmitted to the United Kingdom on 18 March 2020, following consultation with the European Parliament and Council.

It serves as a tool to support the negotiations and to enable progress with the UK.

Read the draft agreement.

Foreign Policy, Security and Defence part of the Draft text of the Agreement

This negotiating document complements the draft legal agreement published on the same day.

It is published as a separate document, bearing in mind that the United Kingdom has stated that it does not wish to engage in negotiations on these matters.

Read the draft text of the foreign, security and defence part of the Draft text on the Agreement on the New Partnership with the United Kingdom.

Terms of reference

EU and UK negotiators have agreed on terms of reference for the negotiations, which establish the structure of the talks, including indicative dates and agendas.

Read the Terms of Reference, their first Addendum and their second Addendum.

Negotiating directives

The negotiating directives for a new partnership with the United Kingdom define the scope and terms of the future partnership that the European Union envisages with the United Kingdom.

The negotiating directives were adopted by the EU Council of Ministers on 25 February 2020. They are based on the draft recommendation put forward by the Commission on 3 February 2020.

These directives cover all areas of interest for the negotiations, including trade and economic cooperation, law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, foreign policy, security and defence, participation in Union programmes and other thematic areas of cooperation. A dedicated chapter on governance provides an outline for an overall governance framework covering all areas of economic and security cooperation.

As Union negotiator, the Commission intends to continue to work in close coordination with the Council and its preparatory bodies, as well as with the European Parliament, as was the case during the negotiations for the Withdrawal Agreement.

Text of the negotiating directives for a new partnership with the United Kingdom English Download

Press release English Download

Q&A English Download

EU27 preparatory discussions on the future partnership

The European Commission and representatives of the 27 EU Member States met throughout January 2020 for preparatory discussions on the future partnership. These covered all major areas as indicated in the Political Declaration. The European Commission is publishing these presentations in line with its transparency policy.

The Political Declaration

The details of the future partnership are set out in the Political Declaration, which accompanies the Withdrawal Agreement, and was agreed jointly by the European Union and the United Kingdom.

It establishes the parameters of an ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership covering trade, economic cooperation and security.

The Declaration also states that the future relationship must ensure open and fair competition, encompassing robust commitments to ensure a level playing field.

The Political Declaration also foresees that this partnership should be embedded in an overall governance framework, with appropriate mechanisms for enforcement and dispute settlement.

Political declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom English Download Available languages (23) български (Политическа декларация, очертаваща рамката на бъдещите отношения между Европейския съюз и Обединеното кралство) Download

español (Declaración política en la que se expone el marco de las relaciones futuras entre la Unión Europea y el Reino Unido) Download

čeština (Politické prohlášení, v němž se stanoví rámec budoucích vztahů mezi Evropskou unií a Spojeným královstvím) Download

dansk (Politisk erklæring, der fastlægger rammen for de fremtidige forbindelser mellem Den Europæiske Union og Det Forenede Kongerige) Download

Deutsch (Politische Erklärung zur Festlegung des Rahmens für die künftigen Beziehungen zwischen der Europäischen Union und dem Vereinigten Königreich) Download

eesti (Poliitiline deklaratsioon, millega kehtestatakse Euroopa Liidu ja Ühendkuningriigi tulevaste suhete raamistik) Download

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français (Déclaration politique fixant le cadre des relations futures entre l’Union européenne et le Royaume-Uni) Download

Gaeilge (Dearbhú polaitiúil lena leagtar amach an creat don chaidreamh sa todhchaí idir an tAontas Eorpach agus Ríocht Aontaithe na Breataine Móire) Download

hrvatski (Politička izjava kojom se uspostavlja okvir za buduće odnose Europske unije i Ujedinjene Kraljevine) Download

italiano (Dichiarazione politica che definisce il quadro delle future relazioni tra l’Unione europea e il Regno Unito) Download

latviešu (Politiskā deklarācija, kurā izklāstīts Eiropas Savienības un Apvienotās Karalistes turpmāko attiecību satvars) Download

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magyar (Politikai nyilatkozat az Európai Unió és az Egyesült Királyság közötti jövőbeli kapcsolatok keretének meghatározásáról) Download

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Nederlands (Politieke verklaring waarin het kader wordt geschetst voor de toekomstige betrekkingen tussen de Europese Unie en het Verenigd Koninkrijk) Download

polski (Deklaracja polityczna określająca ramy przyszłych stosunków między Unią Europejską a Zjednoczonym Królestwem) Download

português (Declaração Política que estabelece o quadro das futuras relações entre a União Europeia e o Reino Unido) Download

română (Declarație politică de stabilire a cadrului viitoarelor relații dintre Uniunea Europeană și Regatul Unit) Download

slovenčina (Politické vyhlásenie, ktorým sa stanovuje rámec budúceho vzťahu medzi Európskou úniou a Spojeným kráľovstvom) Download

slovenščina (Politična izjava o okviru prihodnjih odnosov med Evropsko unijo in Združenim kraljestvom) Download

suomi (Poliittinen julistus kehyksestä Euroopan unionin ja Yhdistyneen kuningaskunnan tulevalle suhteelle) Download

svenska (Politisk förklaring om de framtida förbindelserna mellan Europeiska unionen och Förenade kungariket) Download

European Council (Art. 50) guidelines on the framework for the future EU-UK relationship

Other relevant documents

Documents related to the negotiations with the United Kingdom