donald on of all, thank you to you donald on jean—claude for inviting me to be actual site for this press conference. today we have reached a fairand conference. today we have reached a fair and balanced agreement with the uk. this is the best deal possible, given the circumstances. throughout this extraordinary complex and difficult negotiations, we worked with the uk, never against the uk. the uk worked with us and thanks, if i made, to the british team. the agreement must now be ratified. it is time for everybody, everybody to ta ke is time for everybody, everybody to take their responsibilities. today's agreement will help create the trust and confidence needed for negotiating our claws and —— ‘s and unprecedented future relationship. we will remain allies, partners and friends with the united kingdom. ifi

if i may just if i mayjust add a few words in french. i do so to explain about the outcome in a very serious situation. exit is a very serious situation that i would like to explain why we have ended up with this outcome. —— brexit. it is true to that my sis 600 pages and gives legal certainty to all those affected by uncertainty created by brexit, people, citizens, businesses, states and all of this work would not been possible, mr president, without personal trust and the trust of the president of the european parliament. none of this would have been possible without the exceptional expertise and skills are via teams will stop

first the team that president juncker allowed me to gather within their commission. like many others in the commission these two ladies have really done the european civil service proud. with all their collea g u es service proud. with all their colleagues as well. and i'm thinking of your team, colleagues as well. and i'm thinking of yourteam, mr colleagues as well. and i'm thinking of your team, mr president. the head of your team, mr president. the head of your team, mr president. the head of your private office and the secretary general and his team. and asi secretary general and his team. and as i said in front of the heads of state and government this morning all the departments in the commission have contributed, the director—general, the secretariat, martin, the team from the private

office, richard, and i would also like to mention luis romero and the heads of the two legal services. we are talking about a treaty. as all lawyers know every word counts. what i'm saying is all of this work has only been possible because we have pooled all this expertise and experience. and all the skills that these people could muster. i have worked towards unity and i have very carefully nurtured the unity which heads of state of government under donald tusk have wanted to show from the very outset. we will continue to ensure that unity under mental states and institutions. —— member

states. i will be very happy to continue this work. there will only be time for a few questions and will be time for a few questions and will be press conference after this and also from the prime minister of great britain. the first question goes to the gentleman the last straw. all three of you -- the last role. all three of you have made clear the best would be britain remain being an member state of the eu. that be possible?” remain being an member state of the eu. that be possible? i don't think that would be a good idea. the house isa that would be a good idea. the house is a house and members of parliament are members of parliament and they have to make up their minds. i was sitting at the very beginning that i was upset because this is not a

glorious moment for the european integration and the pursuit of what we have started in common so many yea rs we have started in common so many years ago but is now up to the british parliament to decide and i don't know how the choreography is organise for the european parliament. i'm totally convinced this is the only deal possible. those that think that rejecting the deal would give them a better deal will be disappointed in the first seconds after the rejection of this deal. although we are happy that this is behind us. to a large extent. we're sad not about the result because the result is the one that it result because the result is the one thatitis result because the result is the one that it is but we are unhappy about the exit of great britain from

europe. but a position towards what some people think, —— in opposition towards what some people think the work is not over. the greatest part of what needs to be done starts now because divorce is a tragic moment, as somebody must know. payments have to be made at the future understanding is one which has to be constructed. i don't think that britain will be a third country like other third countries are third countries. there is between a something which has the remaining subplots. —— the remain of love. something which has the remaining subplots. —— the remain of lovelj will take one more question. you

have said it is the best deal possible. are you saying that if theresa may loses in the british parliament and comes back asking for changes no changes are possible? this is the only deal possible. that is the point to speculate what f. —— there is no point in speculating what if. it is too difficult for me to predict what will be the process. so that brings an end to the press conference. donald tusk confirms that they have endorsed the brexit

deal agreement. ahead of us is the business ratification. regardless of how that ends we will remain friends, he says, untilthe how that ends we will remain friends, he says, until the end. how that ends we will remain friends, he says, untilthe end. but you had the ratherfirm position of jean—claude juncker. they are you had the ratherfirm position of jean—claudejuncker. they are not lecturing the house of commons but they're making lecturing the house of commons but they‘ re making clear to lecturing the house of commons but they're making clear to mps this is they're making clear to mps this is the only deal possible and those who think the deal can be changed he said will be disappointed seconds after the boat. —— vote. he thinks there will be an understanding in there will be an understanding in the room when they begin that second pa rt the room when they begin that second part of the negotiation that britain will be a third country unlike any other. that is too much water under the bridge she said. that is a firm position i think within the european commission that they will try and have a closer relationship with the eu as possible. it'sjust

interesting listening to the number of people that the fact. first of alljust many of people that the fact. first of all just many people of people that the fact. first of alljust many people in brussels are involved this process but also the legal attitude and the way that the european commission works. that is the way it works. it is about process. the eu above and beyond being an economic or political organisation is a legal one and they are very good at this sort of thing. my are very good at this sort of thing. my apologies, you will have gathered that are aligned to brussels has temporarily let us down. we will attempt to rejoin christian fraser ina attempt to rejoin christian fraser in a moment. but before we do that we can show you a little bit of the foreign secretary jeremy we can show you a little bit of the foreign secretaryjeremy hunt. he has acknowledged it will be a challenge for theresa may. if there was gridlock in parliament

there will be a huge degree of uncertainty and for the british want is for us to get on and deliver brexit. there are a lot of things that any of us have to do that they don't like and also a huge amount that they have achieved, notjust the ending of free movement of people and the ending of large annual payments coming out of the common fisheries and agriculture policies and largely ending the jurisdiction of the european court ofjustice. it gets us a lot of what we wanted. not everything. but the question is this can this be the staging post the get is the point ruby could get everything? and i think with a lot of hard work it could be. amber rudd says the house of commons can start there being no deal. the house of commons would have to bring down a conservative government. if there was this weblog they would be some people wanting a

better brexit deal and some people wanting a second referendum and jeremy corrigan wanting a labour government. —— jeremy corbyn wanting a labour government. it is not possible to rule out anything. what all of us have to do is say what do oui’ all of us have to do is say what do our constituents actually want the situation and work out what's on the national interest. it is all about the balance of risks because this is not a perfect deal for everyone. it does have a lot of what everyone wa nts does have a lot of what everyone wants and the question is whether we can use it to get everything we want. that will be difficult but it's not impossible. it isa it is a precarious time. sorry about the technical problem. chris morris

was explaining how the european commission was illegal conk... —— was a legal construct. theresa may will be giving a press conference for the next few minutes and we will give you my reaction when we get it from the prime minister. the language, the role on the steam scoresheet today. —— they are all on the steam scoresheet today. this is the steam scoresheet today. this is the deal. do we believe them? tiny twea ks the deal. do we believe them? tiny tweaks perhaps to the political declaration which is not legally binding document that the idea of reopening the all thing after 20 months after article 50 was triggered, more than a year of negotiation and within a few weeks they will make a massive change to please the house of commons, i find that unlikely. at the moment is your right. they would say that, wouldn't they? they want this deal to go through and i think it is also telling that jean—claude

through and i think it is also telling thatjean—claude juncker emphasise we got to this point but that the biggest part of this process is still to come. what we haveis process is still to come. what we have is the agreement to separate but no legal detail technical detail what the future relationship will look like. honestly that is what most people at home and politicians would like to know. we're recording with this? it is not blinded brexit. they set out very broad parameters. —— where are we going with this? if at the next election are different government emerges in the uk and the terms of the political declaration could take this in a very different direction than the current government says it intends to do. the biggest conundrum is the backstop. it comes down to the numbers. you have a hard core of 30 oi’ numbers. you have a hard core of 30 or a0 numbers. you have a hard core of 30 or40 mps numbers. you have a hard core of 30 or a0 mps who will not board for the steel if it in anyway pools northern ireland away from the rest of the

united kingdom. at some point, given that they want a deal and the uk wa nts to that they want a deal and the uk wants to deal it mayjust be necessary for all the posturing here to go back. it may be our immediate case of seeing if you can't get this deal through you have got in the prime minister ‘s words no deal or no brexit. i don't think this deal can be substantially altered. if you had a different political situation in editing them in a different —— situation in the united kingdom that would require all sorts of other things such as extending article 50 but don't forget a lot of european negotiation will drag on and on and on. this is unique that article 50 period has a heart out, the two—year period has a heart out, the two—year period and only with the agreement of all 20 countries can it be

extended. there is a fundamental clash in the conservative party because you have no backstop problem if the dup stick to the rules and regulations. the results are clash in this document between those who have a desire for a greater solitary and morgan for all and those —— a greater sovereignty and control and those who do not. the choice is between economic access and sovereignty, whatever that means in this globalised world we live in. the political declaration sets aside and says the closer the united kingdom remains the rules and regulations of the single market and the customs union the less checking there will be at the closer you are then there are those who argue the less sovereignty you have. that fundamental debate has still not been resolved and it will continue with increasing intensity throughout

more difficult negotiations. the negotiations to come, because each of the member states will have their own interests which they will be determined to protect. those negotiations will be very difficult and very technical. when you look at trade negotiations they usually stretch on for years. that is an argument to say that in this case the eu and the uk are starting from the eu and the uk are starting from the same position. that is true so in theory you should say it should ta ke in theory you should say it should take less time to reach a resolution. 0n the other hand there has been no trade deal and has the weather at the sides are trying to get further apart. and you have 27 nation sticking their hand up and sing don't forget this and don't forget that. he made a very interesting comment on gibraltar because we nearly didn't have this summit because the spanish by minister was adamant needed reassurance. don't underestimate, jean—claude juncker said, how

important what the deadest of the spanish side. really big picture, spain and the united kingdom have been disagreements over 300 years saw hardly surprising that a couple of years of negotiation didn't smooth the water but it is a big thing for spanish politics and the constitutional thing in spain survey wa nted constitutional thing in spain survey wanted to make sure there was a very clear reiteration of the fact that any agreement on the future between the eu and the uk, if it deals with gibraltar, has to have some element of separate negotiation between and spain. again for people who dislike this deal united kingdom they say you giving spain bto on gibraltar. —— and beetle. —— veto. the government say we will never have negotiations about sharing sovereignty was spain. things are

looking a little busier and we will bring you the comments of the by minister when she appears on that podium. in the last few moments the german chancellor angela merkel has been giving her reaction and acknowledge that is work to be done. she outlined her thoughts on that and the political declaration. we strive for close cooperation and close cooperation in the field of security. these are important aspects as theresa may herself said. we continue to live in a european area eve n we continue to live in a european area even once great britain has left the european union. that is still a lot that needs to be done. a lot of work for us, the house of commons will now be seized of the d raft commons will now be seized of the draft agreement. this has been

really very successfully endeavoured ina really very successfully endeavoured in a difficult situation without precedence. never before have we beenin precedence. never before have we been in the situation for the member wa nted been in the situation for the member wanted to leave the european union. we have been successful enough in this attempt of reaching an agreement that balances the interest of both sides paying heed to the adjustable sides, the same time in the spirit that implied tough negotiations without losing sight of the fight that we could only work for a the fight that we could only work fora win win the fight that we could only work for a win win situation for both sides. ifeel very sad but i feel a certain sense of relief that we have achieved what we have been able to achieve. angela merkel speaking a short time ago. i'm struck a much good will that there is for the

british feminist. —— how much good wilderness for the british by minister. —— how much goodwill there is far theresa may. they said we wa nt to is far theresa may. they said we want to keep her in brussels. jeremy hunt has been sent to the that it's possible if the deal goes down. hunt has been sent to the that it's possible if the deal goes downlj think all political readers admire others in the position is sure the kind of stickability theresa may as sean. it is there are just not our political hiatus in the united kingdom. angela merkel stressing we will have close cooperation probably above and beyond the cooperation with any other country but that is also very strong feeling and was some suggestion during the course of last week that the french and german governments wanted this explicitly written down. it did not happen the end. they want to show to the own

people that being outside the european union is not as good a deal as being inside. that matters for them in the run—up to the european elections and so forth. it is a balance between seeing two theresa may we support shoe and we want the steel to go through but not saying it is such a brilliant deal for the united kingdom why doesn't everyone else leave as well? i have had in the brexit side that one should pay this money which theresa may says we are legally responsible to pay that somehow the uk uses its lavage but i've to dutch and danish and people with coastal communities depend on the deal. we have had for manufacturers in europe the depend on manufacturers in europe the depend 0 n a ccess manufacturers in europe the depend on access to the uk economy. it is a huge economy in the uk and that is a lot at stake for europe. huge economy in the uk and that is a lot at stake for europelj huge economy in the uk and that is a lot at stake for europe. i don't think that being the financial separation divorce bill moves all that. the uk is the fifth of the six largest economy in the world. a few miles away from the european union.

of course we have leveraged. and they need us as much as we need them. we want to have this relationship but it doesn't mean they will go out of their way to say this is such a fantastic deal. you can see the tone in watching jean—claude juncker and in particular donald tusk who are sometimes maudlin when talking about brexit. we will be friends until the last day and one day on. they have a major country, one of the most importing countries in the european union is potentially one step closer to breaking away. as we expect this press c0 nfe re nce to breaking away. as we expect this press conference from theresa may, this has been waded through and we have talked about the ratification of the two parliaments who will come back here in march if they get that. what happens, other staging posts

along the way? cooperation only begins after the uk has left and thatis begins after the uk has left and that is political negotiation much of this will be completed by 2020. don't forget, with the teacher trade agreement hatchback with a feature trade agreement that has to be ratified by parliaments across europe including regional parliaments. the regional parliament in belgium held up for several weeks and months at trade agreement between the eu and canada. the trade agreement with united kingdom will be more important and every parliament across europe will be looking through every line and every bit of grammarto looking through every line and every bit of grammar to make sure there's nothing in there that doesn't suit them. so the ratification process will be complicated. we have had this time pressure of the two—year article 50 period. as soon as we

leave you reset the clock and another two—year time period starts ticking. this is the podium inside the building here where we expect theresa may to doctors very shortly about what she said the european —— tick—tock very shortly about what she is said to the european leaders. —— to be talking. and watch expects to happen from this point onwards. nobody under any illusions in brussels that this is only the first stage of the ratification process and she has very much an uphill struggle ahead of her with the numbers as they are in the house of commons. we will come straight back to that press conference in the next hour. do stay with us here in brussels but for the moment i will

hand you back to london. sometimes i weather watcher pictures ta ke sometimes i weather watcher pictures take a breath away and what a contrast all on the dorset coast. large amounts applied in some places and also chalmers, particularly in the east in the north—eastern coast of england. some shows around this morning and we will see more to come through the rest of the day. we still have this easterly wind and yesterday's area of low pressure still across a confident which brought rain and low pressure into the uk yesterday. it is brought in its wake some showers but that cold easterly wind. still some showers running along channel coasts affecting parts of sussex and kent. there will also be some bright or sunny spells,

spells, the best of the sunshine for western scotland. better temperatures tempered by this brisk easterly north easterly wind. so we will see highs between seven and nine celsius. a fairly chilly feel wherever you are. still through this evening we will keep further showers, particularly for eastern and north—eastern course. they could be wintry in nature over the higher where we see the clear skies across scotla nd where we see the clear skies across scotland and ireland and northern england we will see spots as temperatures get freezing but in towns four or five celsius. tomorrow will be a fairly quiet day and most places will be dry. 0nce will be a fairly quiet day and most places will be dry. once again it is easterly course likely to see those showers. a bit more scattered than they are today and temperatures still struggling to get close to double figures. seven celsius to nine celsius the top temperature tomorrow afternoon. then we'll an atla ntic tomorrow afternoon. then we'll an atlantic front—page news eastwards as we go into tuesday. some windy and wet weather to start the day over south—west england and wales

and eventually working into northern ireland. as advancing to call their across northern england and southern scotla nd across northern england and southern scotland on tuesday afternoon we could see some snow over the pennines and higher areas of scotla nd pennines and higher areas of scotland later on tuesday. quite a windy day particularly on western course. these average speeds but gusts will be higher on tuesday afternoon. still chilly across the eastern side of the uk at five or six celsius. from wednesday onwards it turns milder but an increasing risk of deals and there will be some heavy rain. —— gales. i'm christian fraser, live in brussels, where eu leaders have been meeting for a special brexit summit. theresa may's brexit deal has gone

through after 18 months of negotiation. they also agreed the text which will outline the terms of britain's relationship with the eu for yea rs britain's relationship with the eu for years to come. negotiators now hope they can move onto the next stage of the brexit talks. a good deal, a sad steel, not the deal itself but the brexit is a sad moment for the european union. and i wa nt to moment for the european union. and i want to say for britain, too.