London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jan 04, 2026

Brexit: What are the key points of the deal?

Brexit: What are the key points of the deal?

The UK-EU trade agreement, which contains new rules for living, working and trading together, takes effect from 23:00 GMT on 31 December.

The full complicated agreement is more than 1,200 pages long, but here are some of the key points.


TRADE


What the deal says

* There will be no taxes on goods (tariffs) or limits on the amount that can be traded (quotas) between the UK and the EU from 1 January
* Some new checks will be introduced at borders, such as safety checks and customs declarations.
* There are some new restrictions on certain UK animal food products. For example, uncooked meats like sausages and burgers can't enter the EU unless they are frozen to -18C.

What does that mean?

* Having a deal in place means that the fear that some goods could become more expensive has been avoided.
* However, businesses will still need to prepare for new procedures at ports, and if new paperwork is incomplete, it could lead to disruption.

SERVICES AND QUALIFICATIONS


What the deal says:

* Businesses offering services, such as banking, architecture and accounting, will lose their automatic right of access to EU markets and will face some restrictions.
* There will no longer be automatic recognition of professional qualifications for people such as doctors, chefs and architects.

What does that mean?

* Rather than following one set of rules for the whole of the EU, UK businesses will need to comply with the regulations in each individual country.
* It will be harder for people with qualifications gained in the UK to sell their services in the EU. Individuals will need to check each country's rules to make sure their qualification is still recognised.
* However, the UK and EU have pledged to keep talking to try to improve access for the service sector in the future.

TRAVEL


What the deal says:


* UK nationals will need a visa for stays of longer than 90 days in the EU in a 180-day period.
* EU pet passports will no longer be valid.
* European Health Insurance Cards, (EHIC) cards will remain valid until they expire.
* The UK is no longer subject to the ban on additional roaming charges, although both sides will encourage operators to have "transparent and reasonable rates" for roaming.

What does that mean?

* The UK government says EHIC will be replaced with a new UK Global Health Insurance Card, but full details have not been released yet.
* Pets will still be allowed in the EU, but it will be a more complicated process as owners will need to obtain an animal health certificate for each trip they make.
* UK mobile operators will be able to charge for roaming, so people should check with their mobile phone company before travelling.

FISHING


What the deal says:

* Over the next five-and-a-half years, the UK will gradually gain a greater share of the fish from its own waters.
* The UK could choose to ban EU fishing boats from 2026, but the EU would be allowed to introduce taxes on British fish in response.

What does that mean?

* Fishing was the hardest and last issue to be resolved in the negotiation, and some UK fishermen are unhappy with the arrangement. The Scottish Fishermen's Federation, for example, says the deal does not give the UK enough control of its waters.
* Starting in 2026, the UK and the EU will hold regular talks on fishing access. So there could be more heated arguments ahead.

EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE AND OTHER DISPUTES


What the deal says:

* There will be no role in the UK for the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which is the highest court in the EU.
* Disputes that cannot be resolved between the UK and the EU will be referred to an independent tribunal instead.

What does that mean?

* Ending the role of the ECJ was a key UK demand as Brexit supporters said it would allow the UK to "take back control" of its laws.
* The ECJ could still have a role in Northern Ireland because it continues to follow some EU trade rules.
* If either side moves too far away from the current rules around product standards, tariffs (charges on imports) could be imposed on some goods in the future.

SECURITY AND DATA


What the deal says:

* The UK will no longer have automatic access to key security databases, but should be able to gain access upon request.
* The UK will not be a member of the EU's law enforcement agency, Europol, but it will have a presence at its headquarters.
* The UK is no longer obliged to comply with EU standards of data protection, but data will continue to be exchanged in the same way for at least four months as long as the UK doesn't change its data protection rules.

What does that mean?

* The UK's arrangement with Europol will be similar to the one the US currently has.
* Many of the rules about storing and processing data still need be decided.

EDUCATION


What the deal says:

* The UK will no longer participate in the Erasmus exchange programme, an EU scheme that helps students study in other countries.
* Students at universities in Northern Ireland will continue to participate in Erasmus, as part of an arrangement with the Irish government.

What does that mean?

* Students that have already started courses in the EU will continue to receive support for fees.
* A new scheme named after the mathematician Alan Turing will begin in September 2021. The government says it will be similar to Erasmus but will include countries across the world.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Joint Chiefs Chairman Outlines How Operation Absolute Resolve Was Carried Out in Venezuela
Starmer Welcomes End of Maduro Era While Stressing International Law and UK Non-Involvement
Korean Beauty Turns Viral Skincare Into a Global Export Engine
UK Confirms Non-Involvement in U.S. Military Action Against Venezuela
UK Terror Watchdog Calls for Australian-Style Social Media Ban to Protect Teenagers
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Europe’s Luxury Sanctions Punish Russian Consumers While a Sanctions-Circumvention Industry Thrives
Berkshire’s Buffett-to-Abel Transition Tests Whether a One-Man Trust Model Can Survive as a System
Fraud in European Central Bank: Lagarde’s Hidden Pay Premium Exposes a Transparency Crisis at the European Central Bank
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Tesla Loses EV Crown to China’s BYD After Annual Deliveries Decline in 2025
UK Manufacturing Growth Reaches 15-Month Peak as Output and Orders Improve in December
Beijing Threatened to Scrap UK–China Trade Talks After British Minister’s Taiwan Visit
Newly Released Files Reveal Tony Blair Pressured Officials Over Iraq Death Case Involving UK Soldiers
Top Stocks and Themes to Watch in 2026 as Markets Enter New Year with Fresh Momentum
No UK Curfew Ordered as Deepfake TikTok Falsely Attributes Decree to Prime Minister Starmer
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Apple Escalates Legal Fight by Appealing £1.5 Billion UK Ruling Over App Store Fees
UK Debt Levels Sit Mid-Range Among Advanced Economies Despite Rising Pressures
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
×