LONDON: After 47 years of tumultuous membership, UK left the EU at 11 PM on Friday 31st of January, 2020, Union Jacks had been lowered in Brussels and Strasbourg.
“This is a fantastic moment in the life of our country. There are very few moments that can be called a historic turning point – and this is it. This is not the end, or the beginning of the end; it’s the beginning of the beginning. We took back control tonight, we did it. This is a turning point in the life of our nation,” said PM Boris Johnson.
Relevant pieces published earlier:
Brexit: EU Parliament approves UK divorce deal
30th of January, 2020
BRUSSELS: EU Lawmakers had supported Brexit deal hear today in a vote that saw 641 deputies support the deal, 49 Lawmakers voted against the Brexit while 13 opted to abstain.
After this formality UK is all set to leave the political institutions of the EU as of 31st day of January, 2020.
Brexit and English Language
27th of December, 2019
KARACHI: A debate is on; will English language cease to be the official language following Brexit?
As a journalist based in Pakistan, I understand no matter what the official status of English is in EU, its importance would not diminish. I go to Europe in order to cover aviation-related expos including Paris Air Show, and believe that Europe could not survive in language isolation.
Not only professionals like me, millions of tourists who bring billions of dollars/Euros with them will suffer right from the airport to taxi and hotel if the any country attempt to discourage usage of English to promote its language.
France has for a while tried to avoid English language to keep its language pure, but ultimately it realized that it could not survive sans it. Today thousands of words like ‘top model’ and ‘parking’ etc. have found its place in the French language.
Then which language could replace English? Will French accept Germans as the official language? Practically only and only English remains the choice as it would be accepted by all as the official language. Let see what happens in coming days in brexit and english language.
Brexit: Britain’s divorce from EU postponed
BRUSSELS: Britain’s divorce from the EU has been postponed for up to three months.
According to details the EU member states on Monday (28th of Oct.) have agreed to postpone Britain’s exit from the bloc until 31st day of January, 2020.
The President of European Council Donald Tusk took to the Twitter to hold: “The EU27 has agreed that it will accept the UK’s request for a Brexit flextension until 31st day of January 2020.”
EU announces new Brexit deal with UK
EU and Britain have struck a new Brexit deal setting the stage for another major parliamentary showdown over the UK’s bid to say adieu to the bloc.
President of European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker while taking to the Twitter has announced the agreement today (17th of October, 2019) hours before EU leaders were due to meet in Brussels: “Where there is a will, there is a deal – we have one! It’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions.”
It may be recalled the deal comes just a couple of weeks before the UK is scheduled to leave the 28-member EU bloc on 31st of December (2019). However, it is pertinent to mention here that the new agreement sets out a revised plan for N. Ireland that must not only be officially approved by all the member states but also be formally ratified by the Parliaments of UK and Europe.
New deal of Boris Johnson proposes that Northern Ireland will remain in the UK customs area but tariffs will apply on commodities crossing from mainland Britain to the territory if they are deemed to be headed further, to Ireland and the bloc’s single market.
British Premier taking to the Twitter held: “We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control — now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment…This new deal takes back control. Under the previous negotiation, Brussels maintained ultimate control and could have forced Britain to accept EU laws and taxes for ever.”
British Prime Minister’s plan will now be put to legislators, who are set to vote on the agreement during a special sitting of the House of Commons on Saturday (19th day of October, 2019). It is worth recalling here that the UK Parliament had already rejected a prior Brexit deal three times negotiated by Theresa May.
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