The European Parliament will brand Brexit a “historic mistake” as it votes to ratify the UK-EU trade deal this afternoon in Brussels. 

MEPs are expected to overwhelmingly back the trade agreement in the vote, which is the final step to conclude the years of Brexit negotiations begun with the triggering of Article 50 in March 2017.

The trade deal was provisionally applied at the end of last year because the negotiations ended so close to the no deal deadline. MEPs are unlikely to vote against the agreement because it would cause a no deal, which would be damaging for both sides.

© Didier Lebrun © Photo News via Getty Images – Europese Top (Brexit) : persconferentie van Boris Johnson – Sommet de l’Union Européenne (Brexit) : conférence de presse de Boris Johnson * Boris Johnson ( Prime Minister United Kingdom ) 17/10/2019 pict. by Didier Lebrun © Photo News via Getty Images)

But the parliament is also expected to pass a resolution that criticises Britain over the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol and crows about EU victories in the trade talks.

The resolution states, “the UK’s withdrawal from the EU is a historic mistake and recalls that the EU has always respected the UK’s decision while insisting that the UK must also accept the consequences of leaving the EU.”

It boasts that the new trade deal focuses on goods before adding, “it is a logical consequence of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and in particular the ending of freedom of movement, that the opportunities for the UK’s largely service-based economy are vastly reduced.”

© Rahman Hassani/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 2019/10/19: A huge Vinyl saying, Get Ready For Brexit, during the historic Brexit day in London. Anti-Brexit activists campaign for a second Brexit referendum as the UK’s October 31 departure date from the EU draws closer. (Photo by Rahman Hassani/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The resolution accuses Britain of “depriving young people of such a unique opportunity” by refusing to continue participating in the Erasmus student exchange programme.

MEPs will back language praising the trade agreement for avoiding the worst economic impacts of Brexit and in particular no deal.

The resolution also says that the trade deal will give the EU leverage in ongoing negotiations with the UK over the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement in Northern Ireland.

© Pool Danny Gys © Photo News via Getty Images – Europese Top (Brexit) – Sommet de l’Union Européenne (Brexit) * Pedro Sanchez (Spain) / Boris Johnson 17/10/2019 pict. by Pool Danny Gys © Photo News via Getty Images)

Britain angered Brussels by unilaterally extending grace periods in the Protocol and the European Commission has begun legal action against the UK.

The grace periods exempt exports from Britain to Northern Ireland from customs checks on meat products and parcels. The UK has also carved out exemptions from EU rules on soil and pet passports.

“The Parliament condemns the UK’s more recent unilateral actions,” the resolution said.

© Didier Lebrun © Photo News via Getty Images – Europese Top (Brexit) : persconferentie van Boris Johnson – Sommet de l’Union Européenne (Brexit) : conférence de presse de Boris Johnson * Boris Johnson ( Prime Minister United Kingdom ) 17/10/2019 pict. by Didier Lebrun © Photo News via Getty Images)

The resolution calls on the commission to pursue the legal action “with vigour” and warns that parts of the trade deal could be suspended if the UK persists in the breach.

While the resolution is non-binding, it will increase political pressure on the European Commission, which brought the legal action against the UK.

The Commission and the UK continue to negotiate over the implementation of the Protocol. The EU executive believes that a ratified trade deal will give it additional powers to retaliate faster and harder if there are further breaches.

© IAKOVOS HATZISTAVROU/AFP via Getty Images French Secretary of European Affairs Clément Beaune pauses during a press conference with the Cypriot foreign minister in Nicosia on September 18, 2020. (Photo by Iakovos Hatzistavrou / AFP) (Photo by IAKOVOS HATZISTAVROU/AFP via Getty Images)

Clément Beaune, France’s Europe Minister, warned the deal was not a “blank check”.

“If the UK does not enforce it, we will respond with retaliatory measures,” he said.

MEPs also demanded an enhanced role in monitoring the implementation of the new trade agreement.

Source: Τelegraph.co.uk