Council Presidency and European Parliament reach provisional agreement on a regulation

The Council Presidency and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on a regulation on autonomous measures.

The agreed text is subject to approval by the Council and the European Parliament before undergoing the formal adoption procedure.

This regulation lays down the rules and procedures which would allow the EU to ensure a timely and effective exercise of its rights in enforcing and implementing the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The regulation covers a number of measures which could be adopted by the EU in case of need, including:

- remedial, rebalancing and compensatory measures in a number of areas

- the temporary suspension of the relevant preferential treatment of certain products

- the refusal, revocation, suspension, limitation or conditioning on the authorisations or permissions of air carriers and their operation

- measures restricting trade, investment or other activities

The text empowers the Commission to adopt these measures via an implementing act, indicating their duration where appropriate.

Any measures adopted must always be proportionate, as well as be effective in inducing the UK’s compliance with the relevant agreements.