BREXIT: EU Agrees on Brexit Transition Terms but Ireland Issue Remains.

European Union and British negotiators on Monday agreed on the terms of the U.K.’s 21-month transition after it leaves the bloc next March, but left unresolved a thorny issue—the future of Ireland—that could derail the entire Brexit deal.

The new agreement opens the way for talks on the U.K.’s future economic and security relationship with the bloc, something the U.K. has long asked for. But while the transition was relatively easy to agree on, the most difficult phase of negotiations still lies ahead.

With just one year to go, the two sides must finalize the negotiations and get the deal approved by EU governments, the U.K. and the EU parliament.

The U.K. wants a much closer trade and economic relationship after Brexit than the EU says is possible for a country that won’t allow free movement of EU citizens and won’t follow the rulings of the EU top court.

Getting out from under Brussels’ thumb while maintaining a free trade relationship with Europe would be ideal for the UK, but it seems more likely that Britain will lose at least some access to the common market, while remaining mired in an EU-like regulatory state.