A historic trade agreement has been ironed out between the UK and the EU on Thursday, all but closing the door on the past four years of often bitter negotiations.
The deal has yet to be ratified by both Parliaments and there are still important details that will have to be negotiated outside of it, but by and large, the legal framework has been built for Brexit.
Concern has been expressed, however, about a few issues among those left for later negotiation. Especially in the public eye is the issue of added border checks for British exports, according to The New York Times.
Assuming that both Parliaments rubber-stamp the agreement as they are expected to, the agreement will take effect on Jan. 1 of the new year, almost exactly four and a half years after the referendum that got Brexit started and polarized the whole nation.
The final major issues were hammered out in the past few weeks, among them rules that govern how the state is allowed to help businesses and international fishing rights, both of which have also proven to be divisive and controversial.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been quoted this week as saying that this new agreement will allow his nation to "prosper mightily."