The British government has published the final version of its blueprint for UK relations with the EU

The so-called White Paper explains the position of the British government, which on the one hand wants to maintain close trade relations with the EU countries, and on the other be able to enter into new trade agreements with other countries.

Brexit Secretary, Dominic Raab, said that The White Paper was created in line with the results of the referendum in 2016, when 51.9% voted in favor of Britain leaving the EU.

The UK is due to leave the EU on the 29th of March 2019, after which the so-called transition period will start. The transition period will last until the 31st December 2020.

The White Paper consists of a series of proposals that the British government hopes will form the basis of any future relations between Britain and the European Union.

The publication of the document was postponed for several months due to disagreements in the Cabinet but finally approved by the ministers last week.

The White Paper consists of four areas of future cooperation: economic partnership between the UK and EU, security cooperation, cooperation in such areas as aviation and nuclear power and the “institutional framework” that will enforce the agreement.

The main points of British proposals:

·         The UK will collect some EU tariffs in the Facilitated Customs Arrangement for goods and agricultural products;

·         The EU and the UK will sign the agreement on the "general harmonization" of rules and requirements between Britain and the EU which will leave no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland;

·         The Parliament will be responsible for the UK's trade policy, which means that it will have the right to approve amendments to the EU rules;

·         The service industry of the British economy will not be a subject to “mutual recognition”;

·         A separate "institutional structure" will be created in order to discuss treaties between the UK and the EU;

·         The European Court will no longer have jurisdiction in the UK, but the British courts will have to pay "due attention" to EU law enforcement practice;

·         The borders between the EU and Great Britain will be considered as a "common customs territory";

·         Free movement between the EU and Britain will be stopped but the White Paper suggests that EU citizens will be able to come to the UK without visas to do “paid work in limited and clearly defined circumstances”. "General conditions for freedom of movement" will be created so that EU and British citizens can freely visit each other.

This document is a detailed British proposal but not the final text of the treaty with the EU. The EU authorities welcomed the publication of the White Paper and said they would respond to it after a thorough examination. British government expects the EU will back the proposals so that the final deal can be prepared by autumn 2018.