From the Center for European Reform, this is the CEO podcast.

Poson us seriously the question of the

future that we want, and we all

all together, the courage to it construct.

For us in Germany, is the

Bekentness to the European Europe,

a part of our state's resolve.

A strong united Europe is a necessity for the world,

because an integrated Europe remains vital to our

international order. This is the moment for Europe world because an integrated Europe remains vital to our international order.

This is the moment for Europe to lead the way towards a new vitality.

Hello and welcome to the CER podcast and to our first episode of 2021. Today we're going to be

discussing the trade and cooperation agreement that the UK concluded with the EU on Christmas Eve 2020.

We're going to talk about the substance of the agreement and what we can expect from the future UK-EU relationship now that the clock is no longer ticking.

I'm Catherine Pye, Clara Marina O'Donnell Fellow at the Centre for European Reform, and I'm here with CER's Director,

Charles Grant, and Sam Lowe, Senior Research Fellow. We're also joined today by David Littington,

who was Britain's Minister of State for Europe between 2010 and 2016. He's now the chair of the Royal

United Services Institute and of the Conservative Group for Europe,

as well as being a member of the CER's Advisory Board. Welcome to you all.

Thank you, David. David, let's start with your overall thoughts on the trading cooperation

agreement. How well do you think it serves the interests of both sides?

Well, as far as both sides are concerned, it's a lot better than no deal and

...