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MEPs approved the EU-U.K. future relations agreement with an overwhelming majority, the European Parliament announced on Wednesday.
660 MEPs voted in favor of the post-Brexit trade deal, while only five voted against. 32 lawmakers abstained. The vote took place on Tuesday evening but because of the digital voting procedure amid the coronavirus pandemic, the result was only announced on Wednesday morning.
The consent by MEPs means that the agreement, which has been provisionally applied since January, can fully enter into force on May 1.
The European Commission has promised the Parliament “exceptional” powers to supervise and police the implementation of the deal.
In the U.K., officials praised the vote.
“This week is the final step in a long journey, providing stability to our new relationship with the EU as vital trading partners, close allies and sovereign equals,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement.
David Frost, London’s Brexit minister, echoed the sentiment, saying the vote “brings certainty and allows us to focus on the future.”
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