The European Parliament recently voted to approve the Withdrawal Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union. This monumental decision marks the final chapter in a tumultuous four-year period of negotiations and political maneuvering.

The Withdrawal Agreement outlines the terms of the UK`s departure from the EU, which officially took place on January 31, 2020. The agreement sets out the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and British citizens living in the EU, as well as the financial settlement that the UK will pay to the EU.

One of the most controversial aspects of the Withdrawal Agreement has been the Northern Ireland Protocol. This section of the agreement ensures that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland, which is an EU member state. This has been a key issue in the Brexit negotiations, as any return to a hard border could jeopardize the Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to decades of violence in Northern Ireland.

The UK Parliament had already approved the Withdrawal Agreement in January 2020, but the European Parliament`s approval was required for it to come into effect. The vote in the European Parliament was a major milestone for both sides, as it paves the way for a new chapter in their relationship.

However, the approval of the Withdrawal Agreement is just the beginning of a new set of negotiations. The UK and the EU must now negotiate a new trade agreement, which will determine the terms of their future economic relationship. This will be a complex task, as the UK is seeking a more independent relationship with the EU, while the EU is keen to maintain a level playing field in areas such as labor standards and environmental protection.

Overall, the approval of the Withdrawal Agreement represents a major milestone in the Brexit process. While both sides have a lot of work ahead of them, the fact that they were able to come to an agreement on the terms of the UK`s departure is a positive sign for their future relationship.