Brexit summit to be held tomorrow in Brussels, Gibraltar poses a challenge

EU had released the full text of the draft political declaration on November 22

brexit
Anti-Brexit demonstrators wave EU and Union flags outside the Houses of Parliament in London (File Photo: Reuters)
ANI Brussels
Last Updated : Nov 24 2018 | 2:36 PM IST

A Brexit summit is slated to be held on November 25 in Brussels in which prominent leaders from the European Union's 27-member countries and the United Kingdom will sit down for the final round of talks.

European Council President Donald Tusk announced on Twitter that he has shared a draft Political Declaration on the future relationship between the EU and the UK with the EU member countries, while stating that the declaration has been agreed at the negotiators' level and "agreed in principle at political level". However, he highlighted that the agreement was subject to the endorsement of leaders on Sunday at the special summit.

"Sunday 25 November marks the special EU Summit at which leaders of the EU-27 will vote on the deal reached during the course of negotiations," the official website of the UK Parliament stated.

EU had released the full text of the draft political declaration on November 22. UK Prime Minister Theresa May also spoke at the British Parliament on the same day outlining the text of the political declaration and trade dynamics.

"The negotiations are now at a critical moment and all our efforts must now be focused on working with our European partners to bring this process to a final conclusion in the interests of all our people," May said while speaking at the House of Commons.

The issue of Gibraltar may pose a challenge to a unanimous vote on Sunday, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had previously remarked that they would vote against the declaration over discontent on the clause regarding the future relationship between the UK and Gibraltar, according to Anadolu Agency.

However, May tried to alleviate fears regarding Sanchez's comments at the House of Commons, where she mentioned that she had spoken with the Spanish leader and was "confident" of a positive outcome from Sunday's summit.

The British Prime Minister has been fiercely defending the Brexit draft deal ever since it has been agreed by both sides on November 13.

The UK is slated to leave the EU on March 29, 2019, and move into a 21-month transition period, according to the draft deal.

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First Published: Nov 24 2018 | 1:55 PM IST

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