Three months until Brexit – Are we ready?

• After a year and a half long and exhausting negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union, a Brexit agreement was finally put on the table in November 2018. Nonetheless, this final proposal of the agreement by the European Council was not embraced by the British parliament. Due to continuing criticism from a non-negligible number of British MPs, mostly concerning the issue of the Irish backstop, causing substantial insecurity about the parliament's voting results, Theresa May postponed the vote, which was originally scheduled on 11th of December 2018.
• Her consequent last-minute efforts travelling around Europe and meeting with the EU leaders in order to open the deal were not met with any further concessions made for the UK. The December European Council underlined this position, assuring British Government that even if the backstop was needed, it would only be a temporary option. The Irish borders question thus remains open for further negotiations once the deal passes through the British parliament and the two-year long implementation period is launched.

In the coming months, Czech representatives should contribute in whatever capacity they can towards securing a Brexit agreement, as the consequences of a no-deal Brexit would severely negatively impact the country. Nevertheless, the Czech Republic needs to count on every one of the possible scenarios and prepare for them as well as possible.

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