Brexit timeline

The UK formally notified the European Council of its decision to withdraw from the EU on 29 March 2017. This triggered a two-year timeframe to negotiate a withdrawal agreement. Our timeline illustrates what has happened to date and how we expect the process to unfold going forward.

Brexit focus area Brexit impacts page

2020

  • 31 Dec

    Transition period due to end

  • 9 Sep

    UK Government publishes Internal Market Bill

  • 30 June

    Deadline for extending the transmission period passes

  • 31 Jan

    UK leaves the EU

  • 23 Jan

    European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill becomes law

2019

  • 19 Dec

    European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill published 

  • 12 Dec

    General Election results in Conservative Party majority

  • 28 Oct

    EU agrees to Brexit extension until 31 January 2020

  • 17-18 Oct

    European Council Summit

  • 14 Oct

    Queen's speech

  • 24-26 Aug

    G7 Summit in Biarritz, France

  • 24 Jul

    Boris Johnson takes over as UK Prime Minister

  • 10 Apr

    The UK and the EU27 agree to extend A50 until 31 October 2019

  • 23 May

    The UK votes in the European Parliament elections

  • 29 Mar

    Government loses ‘Meaningful Vote 3’

  • 21 Mar

    EU27 leaders grant short extension of A50 (to 12 April or 22 May)

  • 20 Mar

    Prime Minister writes to European Council asking to extend Article 50 until 30 June

  • 13 Mar

    Parliament votes to rule out a ‘no deal’ Brexit

  • 12 Mar

    Government loses ‘Meaningful Vote 2’ on Brexit deal

  • 15 Jan

    Government loses ‘Meaningful Vote’ on Brexit deal

  • 9-15 Jan

    Five days of Brexit debates on the EU Withdrawal Agreement

2018

  • 13 Dec

    Special meeting of European Council reconfirms conclusions of 25 November

  • 11 Dec

    ECJ rules that UK can unilaterally revoke Article 50

  • 10 Dec

    Prime Minister delays planned meaningful vote on Brexit deal

  • 4 Dec

    Government found in contempt of Parliament over handling of Brexit legal advice

  • 25 Nov

    EU27 leaders endorse draft Brexit withdrawal agreement and approve draft political declaration on future EU-UK relations

  • 14 Nov

    Government publishes draft Brexit withdrawal agreement

  • 18 Oct

    European Council meeting with an aim to finalising the terms of withdrawal and the future EU-UK relationship

  • 30 Sep–3 Oct

    Conservative Party annual conference

  • 23-26 Sep

    Labour Party annual conference

  • 20 Sep

    EU leaders meet with Theresa May at informal summit in Austria

  • 4-13 Sep

    UK parliament returns from recess

  • Aug

    Summer recess

  • 12 Jul

    Brexit white paper on financial services

  • 26 Jun 2018

    EU (Withdrawal) Bill Royal Assent

  • End of Mar

    End of Phase 2 negotiations: UK and EU agree terms for transition/implementation period

  • Mar

    House of Lords committee stage of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill completed

  • 23 Mar

    European Council publishes new draft guidelines on the framework for future EU-UK relations

  • 14 Mar

    European Parliament publishes a resolution on concerns and priorities for the Brexit deal

2017

  • 8 Dec

    Phase 1 negotiations conclude

  • 29 Mar

    Article 50 triggered

  • 17 Jan

    UK Prime Minister sets out ‘Plan for Britain’

2016

  • 23 Jun

    UK referendum vote to leave EU

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