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:

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tie up the administrative and financial loose ends associated with the UK’s membership of the EU
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protect the rights of UK and EU citizens living in each

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Life Sciences weekly highlights—12 March 2026

This week's edition of Life Sciences weekly highlights includes news that the EMA has published draft guidance from the Accelerating Clinical Trials in the EU (ACT EU) initiative on the conduct of clinical trials during public health emergencies, the MHRA has published and updated several key guidance documents ahead of amendments to the new UK clinical trials regulations and has announced the publication of a new analysis on the global impact of UK health data resource. Also included, is news that MedTech Europe has commented on the EU–US trade framework and the development on US tariff measures, and has also joined an industry statement calling for harmonised rules under the Circular Economy Act, the European Commission and Switzerland have signed a broad package of agreements to simplify trade in goods such as medical devices, Medicines for Europe has urged stronger supply security measures in Critical Medicines Act trilogues, the Commission has identified safety and labelling non-compliance in dermal fillers, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has outlined outcomes of the December 2025 VPAG review, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has completed its review of the genetic testing and insurance code, and the UK Space Agency, the MHRA, the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have announced a collaborative effort to develop a regulatory framework for in-orbit pharmaceutical manufacturing, among other stories.

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