It was for all of us a big relief - I believe - that the EU and the United Kingdom could secure a deal in the last days before the deadline and that the chaos of a no deal could be prevented.
What however suffered in the process of this "Christmas Eve Deal" is a proper parliamentary procedure. Despite the fact that the European Parliament had in the past made sure that trade agreements are not provisionally applied before the parliamentary consent, we are forced to scrutinise the deal after it had already entered into force. In the coming weeks, the EP will discuss the deal (and finally vote on it) and so will the IMCO committee. IMCO will focus on the questions, whether the integrity of the internal market is secured and whether consumer protection is adequately anchored in the agreement. I am looking forward to the debates.
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP