Brexit

Brexit—key steps, concepts and timeline

By way of background, Practice Note: Brexit—exiting the EU under Article 50 [Archived] explains the operation of the withdrawal process under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union and considers some of the key issues and the consequences arising in the context of the UK becoming the first EU Member State to withdraw its membership.

Our Brexit legislation tracker records the progress of UK legislation introduced as part of the legislative project associated with the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Also see: Brexit legislation tracker 2017–19 [Archived], which tracked the progress of primary legislation introduced as part of the legislative preparation for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU during the 2017–19 Parliament.

From the point of its exit from the EU (31 January 2020), the UK’s relationship with the EU was governed by the Withdrawal Agreement, an international treaty negotiated by the UK and the EU during the withdrawal period, which was introduced to:

1. •

   tie up the administrative and financial loose ends associated with the UK’s membership of the EU

2. •

   protect the rights of UK and EU citizens living in each