The EU commission’s Ursula von der Leyen and Council’s Charles Michel put their signature to Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal at a sombre ceremony today in Brussels. A copy will now be sent to Downing Street to allow the Prime Minister to complete the process ahead of its ratification in the EU Parliament next week. Writing on Twitter, EU Commission President Mrs von der Leyen said: “Charles Michel and I have just signed the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU, opening the way for its ratification by the European Parliament.”

EU Council chief Mr Michel added: “Things will inevitably change but our friendship will remain. We start a new chapter as partners and allies.”

Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, also attended the event in the bloc’s Justus Lipsius building.

The EU’s presidents flew back from Israel, where they had been attending events to commemorate the Holocaust.

The 600-page withdrawal agreement will now be transported to the Prime Minister in London to complete the process. 

This is why Brussels wants to continue controlling the UK, says JOE BARNES

Eurocrats have got it in their heads that the UK is going to slash and burn its cherished environmental, food and labour standards.

This fear has found its way into the Brexit negotiations, developing a new demand for so-called “zero dumping” if there is to be a trade agreement with zero tariffs and zero quotas.

The demands would essentially keep Britain in lockstep with other EU member states in areas such as taxation, workers’ rights and environmental standards in order to knock down key barriers to frictionless trade. Which sounds very much like Britain as a rule taker.

But why is it the EU puppet masters believe UK citizens are about to suddenly accept a collapse in their country’s standards – especially when they are already considered gold-plated on the world scene?

The answer is obvious – they fear a terrifying economic competitor on the EU’s doorstep. READ MORE

EU Council officials will oversee the depository of the document today in London. 

Downing Street has been keen to keep news of the historic event quiet.

Last night MEPs in the EU Parliament’s constitutional affairs committee recommended their colleagues back the deal in a institutional vote next week.

Just hours before Brexit was enshrined in UK law when the Queen granted Royal Assent to Mr Johnson’s deal with Brussels.

In a possible sign of looming celebrations, several cases of English sparkling wine were delivered to Downing Street yesterday.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “It has been a long three years but we have got Brexit over the line and the PM wants to move the whole country forward as one to a brighter future.”

Once Mr Johnson has added his signature to the withdrawal agreement, it will be transported back to Brussels where it will be stored in the bloc’s official archive.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will also sign an “instrument of ratification” that will be deposited in Brussels to turn the Brexit deal into international law.

Hailing an end to the long battle over Brexit, the moment marks the close of more than three years of wrangling over Britain’s departure.

The country is now set for a smooth exit from the bloc on January 31, some nine months after the orginal departure date.

Britain will enter into the so-called Brexit transition period, under which the country will continue to follow the EU’s rulebook until December.

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This can be extended up until 2022 but Mr Johnson has warned that he is not willing to keep the country in limbo and will instead seek a trade deal with the bloc by the end of the year

Trade talks to hammer out the future relationship could start as early as must month, but Brussels has signalled it might not be ready until at least March to begin the post-Brexit process.

Mr Johnson told a recent “People’s PMQs” session broadcast from Downing Street on Facebook he was “full of optimism” about the coming negotiations for a trade deal with the EU.

He said: “I think it is massively in the interests of both sides of the channel to have a wonderful zero-tariff, zero-quota, all-singing, all-dancing FTA.

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Brexit – What happens next?

• European Parliament meets on January 29 to debate the agreement
• MEPs vote on deal, thought to be a formality
• UK leaves EU at 11pm on January 31
• Trade talks begin
• Transition period continues until January 1 2021

“I’m absolutely confident we can do that. We’re in the very happy position that we leave the EU in a state of absolute grace and uniformity, we’re in perfect alignment with our EU friends and partners.

“We’re going to set benchmarks for high standards in the UK and around the world. I believe that will be a good basis for us to do a fantastic free trade deal and for us to come out and get on with our priorities.”

The Prime Minister added: “We will take back control of our fishing waters, we will ensure that we become an independent coastal state once again having full jurisdiction over our 200-mile limit of our spectacular maritime wealth and we will make sure we don’t trade away Britain’s fishing rights as they were traded away in the accession negotiations in the early 1970s.”

Earlier this week, a European Commission spokesman had warned the EU could “take some time” over preparations for the trade negotiations, which can formally begin after Brexit takes place on January 31.

The official insisted the move was required for the EU to formally agree its negotiating aims, and was not an attempt to stall the talks.

Mr Johnson is also hoping to conclude a speedy trade agreement with the United States, which US trade officials claim can happen by the end of the year.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said a deal by December 31 would mean an “aggressive timeline”, but insisted it was an “absolute priority” for the President and “we expect to complete that within this year”.

The upbeat predictions by Mr Mnuchin follow Downing Street indications that Mr Johnson wants the US talks to run alongside trade negotiations with Brussels.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said a trade deal should be easy because the US and UK economies had more in common with each other than with the EU.

He said: “Both are very heavily services-oriented and within services, such as financial services ,there’s already a pretty high degree of integration and coordination.”

Mr Ross also sought to dampen UK fears of higher drug prices as US pharmaceutical giants look to gain concessions from the NHS.

He said: “What we think is that drugs should have similar prices wherever they are. But I don’t believe we are in any position to tell the UK what they should pay for drugs.”

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