Thread by @Usherwood

Let's run through the square brackets still in the Withdrawal Agt, shall we?

1/

(as a reminder, these mark out suggested, but yet-to-be-agreed language)

2/

This is useful, as it marks out what still remains to be done in a text, while simultaneously limiting its effect

3/

I've got a count of 10 "["s in the text, of which one is really important, three are of some note, the rest much less so*

* until someone points out the limits of my knowledge

4/

In order of importance, then.

5.

Art.132(1) has brackets on the end-date of an optional extension to transition. That's had much debate (go see @Sime0nStylites for much wailing), but it's the only really substantial issue left in Art.50 negotiations prior to Sunday's signing

6/

This one will boil down to UK preferences. Following May's comments this AM, it's a toss-up between end 2022 (Barnier's thought) and #GE22 (May's), which should be in May 2022. Purely politically, as no legal differences either way

7/

The three "["s of note are:
- Art.132(2)(b), which notes that the EU hasn't finalised the length of the next MFF;
- Annex IV with 2 queries on NCTS (what happens post-transition) and EBTI3 (access for consultation) systems

8/

These 3 aren't as immediately important as 132(1), but they do point to the complexities of interlocking systems

9/

And finally, we have 6 "tidying up" instances:
- Preamble, on 'precise name of JPD';
- Art.81, reference to INFCIRC/263;
- Art.184, date of JPD;
- Annex 8 (4), pending OJ reference;
- Gibraltar Protocol, preamble, date of agt of UK-ES texts;

10/

All these are purely technical, pending availability of other texts

11/

In sum, it's only the Art.132(1) issue that remains for settlement, but the rest do need to get clearer prior to signing

/end