EU-UK negotiations: everything you need to know

With formal confirmation that the transitional period will not be extended under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, it now appears very likely that the future relationship with the EU will commence from the 1st January 2021. This decision immediately preceded the meeting between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on the 15th June, where both sides agreed to intensify talks on the future agreement with new rounds of negotiation now due to take place over the summer. The outcome was relayed to member states by the President of the European Council Charles Michel at the European Council meeting on the 19th June. The hope on both sides is that renewed impetus will help bridge the gap which currently exists, and lead to an agreement – which can be ratified and put into place by the end of the year. In this extended feature, we analyse some key questions that have emerged during the recent weeks and try to explain what options lie ahead.