EU leaders have approved and endorsed an agreement on the UK's withdrawal and future relations.

Yesterday’s discussion in Brussels saw EU leaders take less than an hour to endorse the EU withdrawal agreement: a 599-page, legally binding document setting out the terms of the UK's exit from the EU, and a 26-page political declaration that aims to describe what the UK and EU's relationship will be like after the withdrawal, though many aspects of the declaration remain vague and uncertain including those relating to issues that might directly impact the staffing market.

EU leaders said the deal, which needs to be approved by the UK Parliament, paved the way for an "orderly withdrawal".

The BBC reports that Prime Minister Theresa May said the deal "delivered for the British people" and set the UK "on course for a prosperous future".

UK Parliament is expected to vote on the deal on 12 December, however many MPs have stated that they intend to vote against the deal, including many Conservative Eurosceptics as well as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) whose ‘confidence and supply agreement’ with the Government currently protects Theresa May’s narrow majority.

The Labour party has repeatedly warned that they would vote against any deal that does not pass six tests, which includes a fair migration system for UK business and communities, a strong and collaborative relationship with EU, protecting national security and tackling cross-border crime, delivering for all nations and regions of the UK, protecting workers' rights and employment protections and ensuring the same benefits currently enjoyed within single market.

Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, said that it was the "best" and "only deal possible". He also warned that if British MPs thought they could get a better one next month by voting against the current offer, they would be disappointed. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said "any other deal really only exists in people's imagination".

The agreement will also have to go back to the European Council, where a majority of countries (20 out of 27 states) will need to vote for it. It will additionally need to be ratified by the European Parliament, in a vote expected to take place in early 2019.

May has said the agreement will end freedom of movement "in full and once and for all", protect the constitutional integrity of the UK, and ensure a return to "laws being made in our country by democratically elected politicians interpreted and enforced by British courts". Nevertheless, the Withdrawal Agreement maintains rules regarding many aspects of business relationships during the Transition Period, up to 31 December 2020 (which can potentially be extended to 2022). In most respects, the draft agreement indicates an acceptance of the status quo with the UK continuing to comply with EU standards.