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The deal must also be approved by the European legislator, who is not expected to take it back for weeks.
Senior EU officials officially signed the long-contested post-Brexit trade deal with the UK on Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel signed it in a brief ceremony in Brussels, Belgium.
The documents will now be flown across the Channel to London in a Royal Air Force plane that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will have to sign.
“The agreement we signed today is the result of months of intense negotiations during which the European Union has demonstrated an unprecedented level of unity,” said Michel.
“It is a fair and balanced agreement which fully protects the fundamental interests of the European Union and creates stability and predictability for citizens and businesses”.
The UK Parliament will begin debating the deal on Wednesday, ahead of a vote at 2:30 p.m. GMT, setting new trade rules between the 27-nation bloc and the former UK member.
The House of Lords, which holds unelected legislators, then start their debate afterwards.
Debate in the House of Lords is expected to last for several hours, meaning the bill may not be turned into binding UK law until late Wednesday evening.
Under UK law, the bill can only be made into law if it is passed by both houses.
With Johnson’s ruling Conservative Party enjoying a parliamentary majority, UK MPs are expected to approve the deal, which is expected to enter into force provisionally on January 1.
The deal must also be approved by the European legislator, who is not expected to take it back for weeks.
Leaders of political groups in the European Parliament have said they will only seek full approval in March because of the specific and far-reaching implications of the deal. The overwhelming expectation is that EU lawmakers will approve the deal.
The 1,240-page post-Brexit deal was sealed by the EU and UK on Christmas Eve, just a week before the year-end deadline.
“On major issues, the European Union is ready to work side by side with the United Kingdom,” Michel said.
“This will be the case with climate change, before COP 26 in Glasgow, and with the global response to pandemics, in particular with a possible treaty on pandemics. Regarding foreign affairs, we will seek cooperation on specific issues based on common values ​​and interests. “
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