This Brexit Bulletin provides a quick reference Brexit research aid and updating tool. It answers key questions on Brexit and includes helpful Brexit updates, research tips and resources. It includes links to further reading materials, plus guidance on keeping up to date on key Brexit developments and the implications for UK law.

The UK has notified the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands that as of 31 January 2020 it has withdrawn its Instrument of Accession, Note Verbale and Declarations for the Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements. During the implementation period, Regulation (EU) 1215/2012, Brussels I (recast) continues to apply between the EU and the UK for matters of jurisdiction and enforcement. The UK has further announced that it wishes to deposit a new instrument of accession at a time which will be deemed adequate, and which will take place before the period of transition expires.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has published the ratified Withdrawal Agreement (WA). Sir Tim Barrow, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the EU, deposited the instrument of ratification to the European Council ahead of its adoption. Completion of these steps, and its addition to the FCO Treaty Series cleared the final hurdles in the domestic ratification of the WA ahead of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU at 11 pm on 31 January 2020.

On 3 February 2020, the European Commission adopted draft negotiating directives, to be approved by the European Council ahead of talks on the future relationship between the UK and the EU. The draft mandate covers all areas outlined in the Political Declaration agreed between the UK and