The EU representative to the UK will be granted the same diplomatic status as ambassadors in the country following its departure from the union.
The status of the European representative in London had been under dispute for months since Brexit, according to a joint statement published by the UK government on Wednesday.
"We are pleased to have reached an agreement together, based on goodwill and pragmatism, on an Establishment Agreement for the EU Delegation to the UK. The EU Ambassador will have a status consistent with heads of missions of states," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and EU Foreign Chief Josep Borrell said.
"EU Delegation staff will have the privileges and immunities needed to function effectively, while allowing for the effective administration of justice, and we look forward to moving ahead and tackling global challenges together," the statement added.
Since Brexit, this status has proven to be an issue, as Brussels insisted on full diplomatic protection, which according to several media outlets, the British initially refused because the European Union is not a sovereign country. The EU representative would then have received the same treatment as the representative of an international body.
During the meeting, held on the fringes of the G7 summit in London on Wednesday, future EU-UK cooperation on foreign and security policy was also discussed, as well as ways for both parties to work together on climate change and climate diplomacy.
The Brussels Times
