London (AP) – 5 years ago On Friday, two crowds gathered near the British parliament. Some have cheers with Union Jack, others are european union Flag and tears.
January 31, 2020, 11:00 pm in London -Midnight at the EU headquarters in Brussels -The UK is officially I left the block After about 50 years of membership that brought free and free trade between the UK and the other 27 European countries.
The people covered by the British flag walk across the Congress Plaza during the rainfall in London on January 31, 2020.
for brexit The supporter, the UK, is currently a sovereign state in charge of its fate. For opponents, it was a isolated country.
It was definitely a split country that jumped into the dark. Five years later, people and companies are still working on economic, social and cultural aftershocks.
“The impact was very deep,” said Anando Mennon, a political scholar led by the changing Europe in the changing Europe. “It has changed our economy.
The color of the Countdown and British Union’s flags to the BREXIT timer illuminates the appearance of 10 Downing Street, a British Prime Minister in London, British, on Friday, January 31, 2020.
“And our politics has also changed very fundamentally,” he added. “We have seen a new department about BREXIT becoming part of the election politics.”
Decision to divide the country
On Friday, January 31, 2020, a projection will be displayed on the cliffs in the Lambgate in southern England (AP photo/matdan ham, file)
Britain, an island country with a strong historical importance, has been an uneasy member of the EU for a long time when he gives a referendum to stay or left in June 2016. In industrialization for decades, many years of public expenditures and high immigrants have created a fertile grounds to discuss the British “regaining control” in the UK, “regain control, and economy.”
However, the result -supporting 48 % from 52 % has shocked many people. Neither the conservative government nor the professional athleticist who exercised to stay in the EU did not plan the troublesome details of the division.
Continued after the referendum Hong years of struggle Beyond the divorce conditions between the injured EU and the parliamentary rocks, and eventually the defeated Britain Prime Minister Teresa May。 She resigned in 2019 and was replaced Boris Johnson“I will complete Brexit.”
It was not that simple.
Block on the British economy
The UK has left the EU without agreeing on future economic relations. This accounted for half of the national trade. Following political deviation, 11 months of testimony on divorce conditions was held, and the Christmas Eve in 2020 reached the top.
Bearbone trade contract I saw Britain leaving the single market and customs alliance. It means that products can be moved without customs duties or allocation, but they have a new deficit, cost, and delay in the trading business.
“It costs us. We are definitely late and more expensive, but Lars Andersen, my naming company, a company based in London, has more than 150 countries. We have a bright color label for clothes and school supplies.
Andersen had to set up a base in Ireland to continue trading with the EU. He says that the hassle is worth it, but some other small and medium -sized enterprises he know have stopped trading with the EU and moved the manufacturing industry from the UK.
Julian Ponan, the founder and CEO of allergen -free food producer creative nature, has grown the export business to the EU countries that have been devastated by BREXIT. Since then, she has succeeded in the Middle East and Australian market.
She learned a new red tape, and she is gradually building a business with Europe again.
“But we have lost four years there,” she said. “That’s a sad part. If Brexit doesn’t happen, we will go further on a trip.”
The government’s office on budget liability predicts that it will be about 15 % lower in the long term and 4 % less in the long term than the UK remained in the EU.
Brexit supporters argue that short -term pain will be offset by new British freedom, which attacks trade trading around the world. Since Brexit. The UK has signed a trade agreement with countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
However, David Henig, a trade expert in the European International Political Economic Center, not offset the trade with the closest to the United Kingdom.
“The big player is not so influential,” Henig said. “We still have an airbus, we still have a scotch whiskey. We are still defending, big drugs, but medium -sized players maintain their export positions. I’m really struggling.
Lessons of unintended results
In some respects, Brexit has not deployed as expected by one of the supporters or opponents. COVID-19’s pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been accumulated in more economical turmoil, making it difficult to identify the EU exit of the UK on the economy.
The influence of the immigration, one important domain, Brexit, was the opposite of what many people predicted. The desire to reduce immigrants was the main reason for many people voted for leaving the EU, but today’s immigrants have increased in the number of visas given to workers around the world, so today’s immigrants are from before BREXIT. It is much higher.
Meanwhile, the rise of protected politicians, especially the newly returned President Donald Trump, is currently between the European countries and the “special relationship” between the Atlantic Ocean. I raised it.
“The world is far more tolerant than 2016 that we voted for leaving,” said Menon.
Can the UK and the EU become friends again?
Opinion polls suggest that British public opinion has become sour against Brexit, and the majority of people now think it is wrong. However, re -enrollment seems to be a distant prospect. There are still no discussions and memories of division, so few people want to start over.
Labor Party Prime Minister Priority of keyaSince it was elected in July 2024, we promised to “reset” the relationship with the EU, but excluded re -enrollment in the customs duties or a single market. He is aiming for relatively modest changes, such as artists easier tours, experts recognizing their qualifications, and closely cooperating with law enforcement agencies.
The EU leaders have welcomed changes in tone from the UK, but have their own problems as populism is growing throughout the continent. Britain is no longer a top priority.
“I understand completely, it’s difficult to return with a very severe divorce,” said Andersen, who wants the UK and the EU to approach over time. “I think it will happen, but it will happen slowly and subtle without politicians shouting about it.”
