EU Nations Start Assessing Post-Brexit Trade Deal With UK

Ambassadors to The European Union speak as they gather ahead of a special meeting of The Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (Coreper) at the European Council in Brussels on Dec. 25, 2020. Olivier Hoslet/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

BRUSSELS—European Union ambassadors were convening on Christmas Day to start assessing the massive free-trade deal the bloc struck with Britain that should kick off next week when the Brexit process finally comes to an end.

After the deal was announced on Thursday, EU nations already showed support for the outcome and it was expected that they would unanimously back the agreement, a prerequisite for its legal approval.