Brexit’s fifth anniversary fires up new negotiations

THE phrase “time flies when you’re having fun” refers to how the passing of years seems to be faster during enjoyable periods of one’s life, or in wider history. Yet, the last half-decade too in Europe has sped by fast, albeit in a different, relatively pessimistic epoch for the region.

Since 2020, Europe has experienced the worst pandemic in a century, the largest war on the continent since 1945, and the biggest energy shock since the 1970s. Far from being a belle epoque of peace and prosperity, it has been much more of a time of troubles.

While this misfortune is unrelated to Brexit per se, it frames the context for the upcoming renegotiations of the 2020 EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), alongside US president-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House. TCA is the deal agreed at a fast pace between London and Brussels to cement a post-Brexit relationship.