Brexit finally takes effect

Posted: January 22, 2021

What comes after the British and European Union breakup

On January 1, the U.K. officially cut its ties with the European Union after a 4 ½ year period of negotiations. The process of the U.K. leaving the EU, known as Brexit, has not been without friction and there are still unknowns yet to be faced. 

The U.K’s first step toward Brexit started in 2016 when 52% of Brits voted to leave the EU in a referendum. During that time, Europe was dealing with a refugee crisis and this caused immigration to be a major point of contention for voters. On January 31, 2020, Britain officially left the EU however both parties agreed to keep their relationship practically the same until January 1, 2021. This was done so that the U.K. and EU could agree on a trading deal as the EU is Britain’s largest trading partner.

The final trading deal, signed by both parties on January 21, 2020, finalizes new rules around trade, travel, court systems, fishing rights, as well as others. The main theme throughout trade negotiations had been to create a level playing field between the EU and Britain so that neither side had an unfair advantage over the other. 

Even though the trade agreement is now in place, the effects of Brexit on Britain are yet to be fully felt. Economically, Britain is predicted to take a hit as Brexit put new barriers in front of trading with its largest export market. Politically, Brexit has only strengthened independence movements in Scotland as well as reunification movements between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. This is all in contrast to the EU and its member countries which have shown only greater unity. 

The coming years will be very important for judging the result of the Brexit experiment.

You may also like…

Film review: Oppenheimer

Nolan combines technical brilliance with riveting storytelling On July 21, Christopher Nolan released his twelfth feature film, Oppenheimer, which may prove to be one of the greatest feats in cinema over the last decade. The film follows the life of the "Father of the...

Future of the ice arena decided

Arena's fate doomed by increasing costs, declining use In March 2023, the Minnehaha Academy Board of Trustees made the official decision to remove the ice arena located at the lower school campus. While the rink has had many renovations over the years, it has been a...

Elaine Ekstedt: A half-century at MA

Tracing her path to a golden year Fifty years ago, the average gas price was 39 cents per gallon. Fifty years ago, The Godfather won Best Picture at the Oscars. Fifty years ago, the Watergate trial was underway. Fifty years ago, the U.S. ended its involvement in the...

Student businesses: an alternate option

Summer is just around the corner and so are work hours. Many students dread getting a job, but find the idea of starting their own business attractive. In a study conducted by CNBC (a news network), it was reported that 60% of teens wanted to start their own business....

Destinations around the neighborhood

Some people prefer lemonade. Some people enjoy horchata. Others caramel lattes. And the occasional person who just drinks water. With about a third of the MA community restricted to transportation by foot or by pedal, the locations accessible from school are limited....