Adopted following unilateral action from David Cameron and permitted by the goodwill of his counterparts, the recent agreement between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) contains a number of reminders and adjustments that are worth getting into perspective from both a political and a legal standpoint.

In this Viewpoint, Yves Bertoncini, Alain Dauvergne and António Vitorino focus on three key issues:
1. The EU-UK agreement contains a number of useful reminders for the “Eurosceptics” but also for the people of Europe as a whole;
2. The EU-UK agreement contains a limited number of substantial “reforms” whose implementation will need to be closely monitored;
3. The EU-UK agreement is likely to have only a limited impact on the European construction.

When all is said and done, there is one major advantage to be gained from the conclusion of the EU-UK agreement: it now allows the people and leaders of Europe to turn their attention to the other pressing challenges that they need to face together, particularly the refugee crisis and the terrorist threat, which are far more crucial for the EU’s future and for its citizens’ well-being and prosperity.