Answer given by President von der Leyen on behalf of the European Commission

The European Union and the United Kingdom concluded a Trade and Cooperation Agreement on 24 December 2020, providing for a high level of market access, including a zero tariff, zero quota economic partnership across all goods, which is unprecedented in this type of agreement.

The European Union has consistently explained throughout the negotiations that this kind of access to the EU Single Market required clear and credible rules to guarantee fair and open competition, including an effective dispute resolution mechanism and autonomous measures.

The Commission considers that this is what has been successfully achieved, and that the market access and open and fair competition enabled by the Agreement will be beneficial for EU consumers and businesses alike.