UK and EU reaffirm commitment to full implementation of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement

Commitments reaffirmed in Brussels

At a meeting of the UK–EU Joint Committee on the Withdrawal Agreement in Brussels, the United Kingdom and the European Union reaffirmed their commitment to the 'full, timely and good-faith implementation of the Agreement in all its parts' and agreed to take all necessary steps for its practical implementation. The meeting was co-chaired by the UK Minister for Intergovernmental and European Relations, Hamish Falconer, and European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, Anadolu reports, citing a joint statement.

Citizens' rights and the Windsor Framework

The parties reviewed developments since the previous meeting on 2 February 2026. The statement emphasised that protecting citizens' rights remains a priority for both sides: the agreement covers almost 6 million EU citizens and 1 million British nationals. The parties noted the importance of a smooth transition for affected citizens from temporary to permanent residence during 2027 and expressed a 'firm joint commitment' to intensifying work on structural issues affecting people's everyday lives — including the rights to live, work and travel, as well as benefits and legal protection. Separately, the implementation of all elements of the Windsor Framework was confirmed; according to the parties, it plays a 'fundamental role' in preventing a hard border on the island of Ireland and protects the interests of residents and businesses in Northern Ireland while preserving the EU single market. The parties agreed to accelerate the rollout of single-market protection mechanisms across all areas and to continue implementing the Withdrawal Agreement alongside the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the recent agreement on Gibraltar.

Context of the meeting

The meeting took place ten days ahead of the planned EU–UK summit in Brussels on 20 November. For reference: following the 2016 referendum, a majority of British voters supported leaving the EU; the Withdrawal Agreement was signed on 24 January 2020, and the country itself left the union on 31 January 2020. Thus, the meeting did not produce new agreements but reaffirmed previously undertaken commitments and set a concrete milestone — the transition of citizens to permanent residence in 2027.