Today, the European Parliament overwhelmingly ratified the treaty that defines the terms of the separation between Great Britain and the European Union (EU).
MEPs voted for the agreement with 621 votes in favor, 49 against and 13 abstentions.
The vote in the European Parliament is the last formality in the ratification of the agreement, three and a half years after the Brexit referendum in Great Britain.
President of the European Parliament David Sasoli said before the vote that this is the last plenary session where they will be joined by their British colleagues.
"Today is an emotional day, we are grateful for the contribution Great Britain has made to our Union and the role British Members have played in this Parliament. Things will inevitably be different but, no matter what, we will remain close friends and partners," he said. is Sasoli.
After the vote, he told his "dear British friends" that the Italian word "adio" was too final, so he said "arivederchi" to them with his colleagues.
"I want to leave you with the words of Jo Cox, the British MP killed during an election campaign: We have far more things in common than things that separate us," Sassoli said.
On the initiative of the German deputy of the Greens, Tei Reintke, after the vote, all the deputies stood up and began to sing the Scottish song "Old Lang Sajn" (It's just goodbye), which traditionally follows the old year and welcomes the new one.
Some British MPs wore scarves in the colors of the British and European flags, Hina agency reports.
This song is also sung at funerals and other farewell occasions, as well as at graduation or graduation celebrations.
As they sang that song, most of the MPs held hands, many with tears in their eyes.
"We will always love you and we will never be far away. We will miss you," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised MEPs during a debate before the vote.
During the debate, there was an opportunity for Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage to make his final performance.
He gave a spirited speech which ended with all members of his party standing up and waving the British flag and having to be admonished.
The very last stage will be tomorrow when the EU member states adopt the agreement in writing. After 47 years of often difficult relations, Brexit will take effect on Friday at midnight CET.
One chapter closes, and a new period of equally difficult negotiations opens. During the transition period until the end of December during which the UK will continue to apply EU rules, the EU and London need to agree on future relations, especially trade.
EU negotiator Michel Barnier submitted the mandate for negotiations to the European Commission this morning, and it will be announced on Monday, when Great Britain becomes a third country. The agreement should be reached by the end of the year.
73 British MPs are leaving the European Parliament and 27 MPs from 14 member countries are coming in their place. France and Spain get the most new MPs, with five each.
The European Parliament is thus reduced by 46 deputies from 751 to 705.
Those 46 seats are left for some future expansions.
The numerical ratio between the parties in the EP is also changing.
The largest group, the European People's Party, gets five new deputies, the second-ranking Socialists and Democrats lose six seats, reports Hina.
The liberal group Renew Europe loses the most, which remains without 11 deputies, followed by the Greens, whose club is reduced by seven deputies.
The parliamentary group Identity and Democracy (ID), which brings together nationalist, populist and Eurosceptic parties, gets three parliamentary seats.
This group includes the Italian League, the French party Marine Le Pen's National Gathering, and the German AfD.
ID has now overtaken the Greens and is the fourth largest parliamentary group.
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