{{short description|2018 UK government report on Brexit}} {{Use British English|date=August 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}} {{Infobox document |document_name = ''The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union'' |image = Crowned Portcullis.svg |image_size = 110px |image_alt = |caption = Cm 9593 |date_created = 12{{nbsp}}July 2018 |date_ratified = |date_effective = |date_repeal= |location_of_document = Chequers<br>''[https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-relationship-between-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/the-future-relationship-between-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-html-version Online version]'' <br> [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/786626/The_Future_Relationship_between_the_United_Kingdom_and_the_European_Union_120319.pdf PDF version] |writer = Government of the United Kingdom |signers = |purpose = To lay out the relationship that the UK proposes to have with the European Union after Brexit. }} [[File:chequers2.jpg|thumb|Chequers—the official country residence of the prime minister since 1921—where the Brexit proposals were agreed by the Cabinet|alt=]] The '''Chequers plan''', officially known as '''''The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union (Cm 9593)''''', was a UK Government white paper concerning Brexit, published on 12{{Nbsp}}July 2018 by the prime minister, Theresa May. The paper was based on a three-page cabinet agreement from 6{{Nbsp}}July 2018<ref>{{cite news |title=At-a-glance: The new UK Brexit plan |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44749993 |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=BBC News |date=7 July 2018}}</ref> and laid out the type of future relationship between the UK and the European Union (EU) that the UK sought to achieve in the Brexit negotiations.<ref name="GOV-UK_12072018">{{cite web |title=The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-relationship-between-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/the-future-relationship-between-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-html-version |website=gov.uk |publisher=Department for Exiting the European Union via GOV.UK |date=17 July 2018 |access-date=31 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="BBC_12072018">{{cite news |last=Morris |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Morris (journalist) |title=Brexit: What does the government White Paper reveal? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44807561 |work=BBC News |date=12 July 2018 |access-date=31 August 2018}}</ref> At the time it was anticipated that the United Kingdom would leave the European Union on 29 March 2019.<ref name="GOV-UK_12072018" />{{rp|Executive Summary}}
In July 2018, former Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Brexit Secretary), Dominic Raab, described it as a "detailed proposal for a principled, pragmatic and ambitious future partnership between the UK and the EU".<ref>{{cite hansard |house=House of Commons |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-07-12/debates/5C45D798-0286-4298-BBDE-44C860396ECD/EUFutureRelationshipWhitePaper#contribution-05E4E40C-A0F5-41DE-8B6A-C31509AD972F |date=12 July 2018 |title=EU: Future Relationship White Paper |column=1154 |speaker=Dominic Raab |position = Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union}}</ref> He also stated that "the white paper proposes a free trade area for goods to maintain frictionless trade, supported by a common rulebook and a new facilitated customs arrangement, but only for the rules that are necessary to provide frictionless trade at the border."<ref>{{cite hansard |house=House of Commons |url= https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-07-18/debates/5FA5E9E4-A4CD-42B4-8CA6-20FE6406A03B/FutureRelationshipBetweenTheUKAndTheEU#contribution-2F742528-7018-4B15-BD00-219CA7AC7F7D |date=18 July 2018 |title=Future Relationship Between the UK and the EU |column=471 |speaker=Dominic Raab |position=Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union}}</ref>
The white paper was finalised at a meeting of the UK Cabinet held at Chequers on 6{{Nbsp}}July 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Peter |title=What the cabinet has agreed at Chequers Brexit meeting |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/06/what-the-cabinet-has-agreed-at-chequers-brexit-meeting |work=The Guardian |date=6 July 2018 |access-date=23 September 2018}}</ref> Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson resigned in opposition to the plan. The plan was rejected by the EU in September 2018.
==Proposals== The white paper was divided into four{{Nbsp}}chapters: economic partnership, security, cooperation and institutional arrangements.<ref name="BBC_12072018" />
The plan aimed to hold the UK in a close relationship with the EU, stating that the new relationship be "broader in scope than any other that exists between the EU and a third country". This would be done by establishing a new association agreement.<ref name="alleuneed2know">{{Cite web|url=http://www.europeanmovement.ie/all-eu-need-to-know-uk-white-paper-on-the-future-relationship-between-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-12-july-2018/|title=All EU need to know|date=Jul 16, 2018|access-date=Oct 25, 2018|archive-date=13 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513061604/https://www.europeanmovement.ie/all-eu-need-to-know-uk-white-paper-on-the-future-relationship-between-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-12-july-2018/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Continued access to the European single market for goods and a common rulebook on state aid would be agreed, preventing either side from subsidising their own industries. For its part, the UK would commit to maintaining high environmental, climate change, social, employment and consumer protection standards.<ref name="inews">{{Cite news|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit/chequers-deal-brexit-plan-agreement-what-explained-theresa-may/|title=What is the Chequers Deal?|date=24 October 2018|work=i|access-date=25 October 2018}}</ref>
When presenting the plan, May addressed the Irish border question, stating that there would be no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and no border in the UK".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/theresa-may-brexit-michel-barnier-brexit-a8456806.html|title='Theresa May's Brexit proposals died in Brussels in eight short minutes'|work=The Independent|access-date=2018-10-25|language=en-GB}}</ref> A "facilitated customs agreement" would remove the need for customs checks by treating the UK and EU "as if a combined customs territory". The UK would apply the EU's tariffs and trade policy on goods intended for the bloc but would control its own tariffs and trade for the domestic market.<ref name="inews" /> This differed from a "Canada-plus" deal favoured by the Conservative backbench European Research Group, which would not apply EU tariffs on goods bound for the EU and therefore may threaten such tariffs if countries use lower tariffs in the UK to facilitate tariff-free access with EU countries, undermining EU tariffs; however, it was seen as likely that such a scenario would require a hard border on the island of Ireland as technological solutions to the Irish border questions are not yet available.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Winters |first1=L. Alan |title=Chequers vs Canada-plus Brexit trade plans – seven key differences explained |url=http://theconversation.com/chequers-vs-canada-plus-brexit-trade-plans-seven-key-differences-explained-103969 |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=The Conversation}}</ref>
==Reactions and resignations== {{multiple image | align = right | total_width = 320 | image1 = Boris Johnson FCA.jpg | alt1 = Boris Johnson | footer = Boris Johnson and David Davis resigned from Cabinet over the Chequers agreement | image2 = David Davis 2016.jpg | alt2 = David Davis }} The proposals gained minimal support from Conservative politicians or leaders of EU member states. In the summer of 2018, May met German Chancellor Angela Merkel as well as French President Emmanuel Macron in order to garner support for the proposals from her French and German counterparts.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Garschagen |first1=Melle |title=Hebben de Britten spijt van hun keuze? En elf andere vragen over de Brexit |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2018/09/17/hebben-de-britten-spijt-van-hun-keuze-en-elf-andere-vragen-over-de-brexit-a1616764 |work=NRC |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=May meets Macron for Brexit talks |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45056341 |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=BBC News |date=3 August 2018}}</ref>
May favoured a policy of "managed divergence" from the EU.<ref>{{cite news |title=Theresa May secures Brexit war Cabinet backing for 'managed divergence' in future EU relationship |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/theresa-may-secures-brexit-war-cabinet-backing-for-managed-divergence-in-future-eu-relationship/ |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=POLITICO |date=23 February 2018|last1=Blanchard|first1=Jack|last2=Cooper|first2=Charlie}}</ref> This policy was explicitly rejected in September 2018, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said that the integrity of the European Single Market was "not negotiable", and that there can be no "cherry picking" of the market's four{{Nbsp}}freedoms: free movement of people, goods, services and capital. Chequers supported staying in the Single Market for goods, but not the other three freedoms.<ref name="alleuneed2know" /> This had been rejected by the President of the European Council (Donald Tusk) and Barnier before it was in the Chequers deal, as well as on numerous dates from 20 July to 21 September 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=All the times the EU has said 'no' to Theresa May's Brexit plan |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/eu-brexit-theresa-may-plan-trade-deal-chequers-tusk-leaders-macron-a8548516.html |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=The Independent |date=21 September 2018}}</ref> The EU opposed such divergence as it feared that offering favorable deals to Britain might encourage other member states to follow Britain's example.<ref>{{cite news |title=May to set out Brexit wishes; EU says ideas so far are 'pure illusion' |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-may/may-to-set-out-brexit-wishes-eu-says-ideas-so-far-are-pure-illusion-idUKKCN1G71BS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224000656/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-may/may-to-set-out-brexit-wishes-eu-says-ideas-so-far-are-pure-illusion-idUKKCN1G71BS |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 February 2018 |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=Reuters |date=25 February 2018 }}</ref>
Tusk said that the deal was "a step in the right direction",<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Louise |last2=Ryan |first2=Philip |title=Donald Tusk concedes May's Brexit plan is 'step in the right direction' says he's a 'true admirer' of British PM |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/brexit/donald-tusk-concedes-mays-brexit-plan-is-step-in-the-right-direction-says-hes-a-true-admirer-of-british-pm-37341160.html |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=Independent.ie |date=21 September 2018}}</ref> and that there were "positive elements" of the proposal, but added that "the suggested element for economic cooperation will not work, not least because it risks undermining the single market".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bienkov |first1=Adam |title=The EU tells Theresa May her Chequers Brexit plan 'will not work' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-eu-donald-tusk-has-told-theresa-may-her-chequers-brexit-plan-will-not-work-2018-9 |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=Business Insider}}</ref> May, on the other hand, said that Britain needs to see more counter-proposals from the EU.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/theresa-may-brexit-support-eu-plan-chequers-reject-10762324|title=May losing support for no-deal Brexit if EU rejects Chequers plan: Report|work=Channel NewsAsia|access-date=25 October 2018|archive-date=26 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026064422/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/theresa-may-brexit-support-eu-plan-chequers-reject-10762324|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Davis, Brexit Secretary at the time of the Chequers meeting, resigned over the agreement on 8{{Nbsp}}July,<ref>{{cite news |last=Stewart |first=Heather |title=Brexit secretary David Davis resigns plunging government into crisis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/08/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary-reports-say |work=The Guardian |date=9 July 2018 |access-date=1 August 2018}}</ref> as did Davis' parliamentary under-secretary, Steve Baker.<ref name="S,C,S">{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Heather |last2=Crerar |first2=Pippa |last3=Sabbagh |first3=Dan |title=May's plan 'sticks in the throat', says Boris Johnson as he resigns over Brexit |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/09/boris-johnson-resigns-as-foreign-secretary-brexit |work=The Guardian |date=9 July 2018 |access-date=31 August 2018}}</ref> Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson followed him the next day.<ref name="S,C,S" /> In his resignation speech of 18{{Nbsp}}July, Johnson said the government allowed "a fog of self-doubt" to fall on its negotiations. The speech received notable attention, and BBC political reporter Laura Kuenssberg said it was "the first Boris Johnson speech that I can remember watching that didn't have any jokes".<ref>{{cite news | last = Kuenssberg | first = Laura | author-link = Laura Kuenssberg |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44871629 |title=Johnson: It is not too late to save Brexit |date=18 July 2018 |work=BBC News |access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
== Result of negotiations == {{Main|Brexit negotiations}} In November 2018, the Brexit negotiations concluded with a Withdrawal Agreement and a Political Declaration; this included a "commitment to frictionless trade in goods through a common rulebook, the centrepiece of the Chequers plan."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Boffey |first1=Daniel |last2=Rankin |first2=Jennifer |title=Brexit deal explained: backstops, trade and citizens' rights |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/25/may-brexit-deal-explained-eu-withdrawal-agreement-trade-backstop-citizens-rights |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=The Guardian |date=25 November 2018}}</ref> The outcome needs support from the UK parliament and the EU leaders. May described the political declaration as "right for the whole of the UK". Leader of the Opposition, Labour Party's Jeremy Corbyn, described the political declaration as "26{{Nbsp}}pages of waffle".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46300247|title=Brexit deal within our grasp, says May|date=2018-11-22|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-11-25|language=en-GB}}</ref> The leaders from the remaining twenty-seven{{Nbsp}}EU countries endorsed the draft.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-46334649|title=UK's Brexit deal agreed by EU leaders|date=2018-11-25|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-11-25|language=en-GB}}</ref>
== See also == * Brexit plan * Canada model * No-deal Brexit * Norway-plus model * People's Vote * Turkey model
== References == {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{cite news | last = Staff writer | title = Brexit: Cabinet agrees 'collective' stance on future EU deal | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44747444 | publisher = BBC News | date = 7 July 2018 }} * {{cite news | last = Kuenssberg | first = Laura | author-link = Laura Kuenssberg | title = What's the Brexiteers' alternative plan? | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45423791 | publisher = BBC News | date = 5 September 2018 }} * {{cite news | last = Staff writer | title = 80 Tory MPs prepared to vote against PM's Chequers plan, says ex-Brexit minister Steve Baker | url = https://news.sky.com/story/80-tory-mps-ready-to-vote-against-pms-chequers-plan-says-ex-brexit-minister-steve-baker-11494310 | publisher = Sky News | date = 10 September 2018}}
{{Theresa May}} {{Brexit referendum}}
Category:2018 documents Category:2018 in international relations Category:2018 in the United Kingdom Category:2018 in the European Union Category:Boris Johnson Category:Brexit-related agreements Category:Premiership of Theresa May Category:United Kingdom–European Union relations Category:White papers