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| - Britain's Brexit deal agreed with the European Union last year is back in the spotlight this week after London unveiled draft legislation that will breach some of its terms. The EU Withdrawal Agreement is enshrined in international law and resolved the most immediate separation issues arising from Britain's decision to leave the bloc in January. The deal provided for a post-Brexit transition period until December 31, 2020, during which Britain remained bound by EU rules. The intention was to provide continuity while both sides negotiated the terms of their new partnership, covering everything from trade to fishing rights and security. When the divorce deal was first drafted, the transition was due to last almost two years. But years of British political gridlock over Brexit shortened this to just 11 months and London has repeatedly refused to extend it, even with disruption caused by coronavirus. Talks on a free trade deal are currently deadlocked, raising the prospect of a so-called no-deal Brexit at the end of the year. The 2019 deal protects the rights to live, work, study and claim healthcare and social benefits of around 3.6 million EU citizens in Britain, and one million Britons living elsewhere in the bloc. It also covers similar deals relating to citizens of Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, which are outside the EU but inside Europe's free trade area. In Britain, European nationals arriving during the transition period must register before June 30, 2021, to retain their rights. Residents of more than five years will be granted "settled status", or indefinite leave to remain, while more recent arrivals will be allowed to stay until they meet the threshold. The government has unveiled plans for a points-based immigration system which will treat EU citizens arriving after the transition period in the same way as non-European arrivals. Britain has agreed to honour commitments made during its EU membership, from investments to staff pensions, which will be payable as payments fall due. Last year it put the figure at up to £39 billion (44 billion euros, $51 billion at the time). Three subsequent Brexit delays, during which Britain continued paying its full membership fees, mean the final bill is likely to be higher. Arrangements for British-run Northern Ireland have proved the most contentious to resolve throughout Brexit. All sides agreed on the need to avoid border checks between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland, to avoid upsetting the fragile peace in a region plagued by violence between the 1970s and 1990s. Brexit supporters rejected the original plan to keep Britain under EU trade rules but the system set out in the withdrawal deal remains controversial -- and is now being undermined by the UK government. Under the agreement, Northern Ireland remains in Britain's customs territory, but in practice there would be a sort of customs border with the mainland. Goods arriving and staying in Northern Ireland from non-EU countries will come under British customs rules, while those going on to the EU via the Republic of Ireland will fall under the EU system. Northern Ireland would stay aligned with the EU on some standards to ensure food, animals and permitted industrial goods can more easily cross the Irish border. In an attempt to allay concerns about the plan, the EU and Britain agreed it would be subject to consent by Northern Ireland's devolved assembly. They also created a so-called joint committee to resolve any potential disputes by mutual consent. However, the British government's new draft law would allow UK ministers to sideline the committee in some circumstances and decide unilaterally on some matters related to British trade with Northern Ireland and the impact of state aid there. burs-jj/phz/tgb
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