IFRAME: https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-M6H5MVF News (BUTTON) arrow_drop_down Westminster News Europe News Arts & Culture Support Us Subscribe Podcasts Contact Us Shopopen_in_new Subscribe to our newsletter Digital Subscription Accessopen_in_new * * * (BUTTON) menu search ____________________ (BUTTON) close News Westminster News Europe News Arts & Culture Subscribe Podcasts The New European > News Officials accused of copying and pasting chunks of text into Brexit deal agreement Author Picture Icon Jonathon Read (BUTTON) Published: 9:46 AM December 28, 2020 Updated: 5:58 PM December 29, 2020 do do Anti-Brexit campaigners wave Union and European Union flags outside the Houses of Parliament - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images Officials have been accused of copying and pasting chunks of text into the Brexit deal agreement. Experts have spotted buried within page 921 of the UK-EU trade document references to dated computer software in the agreement which are decades old. Referencing encryption technology, it mentions Mozilla Mail and Netscape Communicator as "modern e-mail software package" - last updated in 2002. It also recommends the use of SHA-1 as a "hash algorithm" despite the fact it was depreciated in 2011. The references have led experts to believe key texts have been copied and pasted from old documentation due to the lack of time to secure a deal. It was reported EU officials were said to have been spending Christmas Day finalising the documents. __________________________________________________________________ You may also want to watch: __________________________________________________________________ Paul Maunders said: "I wonder how much of UK-EU trade deal has been copy and pasted from old 90s documents". LSE academic Edmund Schuster tweeted: "Taking the UK into its bright future, using Netscape and SHA-1. This is unbelievable, although perhaps we should be grateful that we haven’t agreed to DNA data exchange via telegraph". Most Read (BUTTON) expand_more More 1. 1 The greatest failure of government in our lifetime 2. 2 Jacob Rees-Mogg claims fish captured after Brexit deal came into effect were 'British and happier for it' 3. 3 Matt Hancock praises free school meals before being reminded he voted against them 4. 4 James O'Brien schools Brexiteer who refuses to accept new EU-UK trade rules 5. 5 Brexiteer MP ridiculed after calling for free movement of goods between GB and NI 6. 6 Katie Hopkins joins UKIP in time for leadership contest 7. 7 What Remainers should have done differently 8. 8 Spokesman indicates Boris Johnson has not read Brexit trade deal text 9. 9 Scottish fishing boats ditch UK waters for Denmark to escape Brexit red tape 10. 10 Michel Barnier tells Britain Brexit red tape is here 'for good' IFRAME: https://t.email.archant.co.uk/lp/SUB_TheNewEuropean Edwin Hayward remarked: "Wow! Parts of the Brexit deal seem to have fallen through a time warp from the 1990s (perhaps the same one the antique version of Excel used for track and trace came from?)" I wonder how much of UK-EU trade deal has been copy & pasted from old 90s documents 🤔 p921 refers to Netscape Communicator 4.0 as a "modern e-mail software package" (it was last updated in 2002) and recommends SHA-1 as a hash algorithm (deprecated by NIST in 2011 as insecure) pic.twitter.com/3yw1vutsfC — Paul Maunders (@paulmaunders) December 27, 2020 Jed Murphy quipped: "Maybe if you view the Deal on Netscape Navigator it all looks much better. It’s just darned Chrome that makes it look so bad!" Rob Merrick commented: "This is strange - because Brexit is mostly copied and pasted from the 1950s". "This is like the ferry contracts shaped from a pizza agreement all over again, isn’t it?" noted another. "People laughed when I insisted on keeping my old AOL discs..." joked Graeme Casey. Become a Supporter The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism. Become a Supporter Don't Miss Boris Johnson in the House of Commons Boris Johnson in the House of Commons Prime Minister's Questions | Video PMQs Review: The one where the speaker finally snapped Matt Withers Author Picture Icon Costa del Sol beach near Torremolinos. Costa del Sol beach near Torremolinos. Brexit Brexit changes lead to exodus of Brits from Spain, UK nationals claim Adrian Zorzut Author Picture Icon Theresa May in the House of Commons Theresa May in the House of Commons Theresa May | Video Theresa May in Brexit warning to Boris Johnson's government The New European Logo Icon File photo dated 20/09/18 of Nigel Farage, the Vice-Chairman of Leave Means Leave, by the political File photo dated 20/09/18 of Nigel Farage, the Vice-Chairman of Leave Means Leave, by the political Nigel Farage Nigel Farage launches new party in Scotland to promote 'positive case... Adrian Zorzut Author Picture Icon Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Comments powered by Disqus * Contact Us * About Us * Advertise With Us * All Topics * Complaints * Jobs at Archant * Contributors Charter * Cookie Policy * Privacy Policy * Terms & Conditions * Archant * Manage Cookies IPSO Regulated * * * 2021 © Archant Community Media Ltd