EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier had respected the wishes of the European Council as well as those of European institutions, Dr Dalli said during a meeting of Parliament’s Foreign and European Affairs Committee. 
 
The minister reiterated that the deal respected the priorities of both the UK and EU. However, pointing out that the House of Commons might choose to vote against the deal, she emphasised that preparations were being made for a no-deal scenario.
 
In any case, bilateral agreements on pensions and healthcare which did not involve the European Union would remain in effect following Britain’s departure. 
 
Should the deal be approved, a transitory agreement would come into effect for a year following Brexit day, with the possibility of this being extended by one or two years. Then, the European Council would have a mandate to negotiate a more permanent future relationship with the UK. 
 
EU member states have also agreed that, should the UK allow EU citizens living in the country to remain there following a no-deal scenario, the same goodwill would be shown towards UK citizens in EU member states.
 
Committee members agreed that even the deal agreed upon was a lose-lose situation, as it simply mitigated the inevitable Brexit damage.
 
Should it be approved, the UK would bind itself to pay some of the administrative costs of Brexit, including the cost of the adjustments which would have to be made to the databases used by Customs. 
 
Members of Dr Dalli’s ministerial staff told MPs that Customs had put together a web portal with information about the administrative implications of a no-deal Brexit for those importing products from the UK, and that the Medicines Authority would be assisting distributors with making the shift. 
 
A larger web portal with further information about Brexit was in the process of being completed and would be put online as soon as possible.
 
The Committee also resolved to seek advice from the Office of the Attorney General concerning amendments which would need to be made to Maltese legislation following Brexit Day, as Malta’s EU accession document made reference to the United Kingdom as one of the member-states of the Union.

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