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Brexit timeline tracker
Welcome to our Brexit Tracker, which will keep you on top of the latest developments as the UK prepares to leave the EU
Please contact any member of our Brexit team for further information.
Please scroll down the page to activate the Tracker
December 2020
-
Proposed transitional period ends (assuming UK approves the Withdrawal Agreement)
31 December 2020
May 2020
-
European Parliament elections
23-26 May 2020
December 2019
-
European Council meeting
12-13 December 2019
October 2019
-
End of second Article 50 extension provided the UK participates in European Parliament elections. The extension should last only as long as is necessary for the UK to approve and ratify the Withdrawal Agreement
31 October 2019 -
Deadline for UK Government to request a third extension from the EU unless UK Parliament approves the Withdrawal Agreement or a no-deal exit
19 October 2019 -
European Council meeting
17-18 October 2019 -
State opening of 2019-20 Parliamentary session with Queen’s speech
14 October 2019 -
UK Prime Minister writes to European Commission President setting out his alternative proposal for the Northern Ireland backstop
2 October 2019
September 2019
-
2017-19 parliamentary session resumes
25 September 2019 -
Supreme Court rules that the UK Prime Minister’s advice to the Queen to prorogue Parliament was unlawful, void and of no effect
24 September 2019 -
Inner House of the Scottish Court of Session rules that the prorogation of Parliament was unlawful
11 September 2019 -
Parliament prorogue
9 September 2019 -
House of Commons rejects the UK Prime Minister’s second motion calling for an early general election
9 September 2019 -
European Union (Withdrawal (No.6) Act 2019 receives Royal Assent. This requires the UK Prime Minister to request a third extension to the Article 50 period until 11pm on 31 January 2020 unless, by 19 October 2019, the UK Government obtains Parliament’s consent either to a Withdrawal Agreement or to a no-deal exit
9 September 2019 -
High Court rejects a petition for judicial review to challenge the prorogation of Parliament
6 September 2019 -
Outer House of the Scottish Court of Session refuses a petition for judicial review to challenge the prorogation of Parliament
4 September 2019 -
House of Commons introduces and approves the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill 2017-19 to block a no-deal exit. House of Commons rejects the UK Prime Minister’s first motion calling for an early general election
4 September 2019 -
House of Commons returns from summer recess
3 September 2019 -
Parliament returns
3 September 2019
August 2019
-
UK Prime Minister announces his plan to prorogue Parliament
28 August 2019
July 2019
-
House of Commons summer recess
25 July 2019 -
Boris Johnson becomes UK Prime Minister
24 July 2019 -
Boris Johnson becomes the new UK Conservative Party leader
23 July 2019 -
First sitting of newly elected European Parliament
2 July 2019
June 2019
-
European Council meeting at which progress on the UK’s ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement will be reviewed
20-21 June 2019 -
Theresa May resigns as UK Prime Minister
7 June 2019
May 2019
-
End of second Article 50 extension if the UK is still an EU Member State and does not hold European Parliament elections
31 May 2019 -
Theresa May declares that she will step down as UK Prime Minister on the 7 June 2019
24 May 2019 -
Prime Minister gives speech on new Brexit deal and Withdrawal Agreement Bill
21 May 2019
April 2019
-
Final sitting of the outgoing European Parliament
15 - 18 April 2019 -
End of first Article 50 extension
12 April 2019 -
Special European Council meeting. Second Article 50 extension approved until 31 October 2019 provided the UK participates in European Parliament elections if it is still an EU Member State on 23-26 May 2019. Otherwise, the extension will end on 31 May 2019
10 - 11 April 2019 -
European Union (Withdrawal) (No.5) Bill 2017-19 receives Royal Assent requiring the UK Prime Minister to seek an extension to Article 50 in compliance with a resolution passed by the UK House of Commons
8 April 2019 -
UK House of Commons approves motion on further Article 50 extension
8 April 2019 -
UK Prime Minister requests a second extension to the Article 50 period until 30 June 2019 to avoid a no deal exit on 12 April 2019
5 April 2019 -
UK House of Commons debates and votes on alternative options to the Withdrawal Agreement – none of the options carry a majority
1 April 2019
March 2019
-
UK was due to leave the EU
29 March 2019 at 11pm GMT -
UK House of Commons rejects the Withdrawal Agreement (without the Political Declaration) by 344 to 286 votes triggering the extension of Article 50 to 12 April 2019
29 March 2019 -
The definition of “exit day” in section 20 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 amended by statutory instrument to correspond with the agreed extension
28 March 2019 -
UK House of Commons debates and votes on alternative options to the Withdrawal Agreement – none of the options carry a majority
27 March 2019 -
European Commission completes preparations for a no deal Brexit
25 March 2019 -
UK House of Commons votes to allow time for indicative votes on the way forward for Brexit
25 March 2019 -
EU and UK agree an extension to the Article 50 period:
- until 11pm on 22 May 2019 if Withdrawal Agreement approved by UK House of Commons by 29 March 2019
- until 11pm on 12 April 2019 if Withdrawal Agreement not approved by 29 March 2019
22 March 2019 -
European Council meeting
21-22 March 2019 -
UK Prime Minister requests an extension to the Article 50 period until 30 June 2019
20 March 2019 -
Council of the EU adopts no-deal contingency measures
19 March 2019 -
UK House of Commons votes in favour of a motion to request an extension to the Article 50 period by 412 to 202 votes
14 March 2019 -
UK House of Commons rejects leaving the EU without a deal by 312 to 308 votes – this has political force, but no legal effect
13 March 2019 -
UK House of Commons second “meaningful vote” on the Withdrawal Agreement – deal rejected by 391 to 242 votes
12 March 2019 -
UK Attorney General publishes his legal opinion on the joint UK-EU instrument and unilateral declaration on the Withdrawal Agreement
11 March 2019 at 11pm GMT -
UK Government and European Commission agree the texts of:
- a joint UK-EU instrument relating to the Withdrawal Agreement
- a unilateral declaration by the UK on the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol
- a joint UK-EU statement supplementing the Political Declaration
11 March 2019 at 11pm GMT
February 2019
-
UK House of Commons rejects the UK Prime Minister’s approach to the Brexit negotiations by 303 to 258 votes
14 Febuary 2019
January 2019
-
UK House of Commons amends a neutral motion to express that the House rejected the idea of a no deal Brexit, and would not accept the Northern Ireland backstop in its current form
29 January 2019 -
UK Government obliged to make a statement that no agreement in principle has been reached on the Withdrawal Agreement and future trading relationship (if applicable)
21 January 2019 -
UK Prime Minister sets out how the UK Government intends to proceed in the Article 50 withdrawal negotiations, as required under section 13(4) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
21 January 2019 -
Motion of no confidence in the UK Prime Minister – Prime Minister wins by 325 to 306 votes
16 January 2019 -
UK House of Commons’ “meaningful vote” on the Withdrawal Agreement – deal rejected by a majority of 230 votes
15 January 2019 -
EU-UK exchange of letters clarifying Irish backstop
14 January 2019
December 2018
-
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2017-19 introduced to House of Commons
20 December 2018 -
European Commission implements “no-deal” Contingency Action Plan in specific sectors
19 December 2018 -
European Council meeting
13-14 December 2018 -
ECJ rules that the UK can unilaterally revoke its Article 50 notice
10 December 2018 -
Prime Minister Theresa May defers the UK House of Commons’ “meaningful vote” on the Withdrawal Agreement
10 December 2018 -
UK House of Commons commences debate on a motion to approve the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration on the Future Relationship
4 - 6 December 2018 -
UK Government submits draft UK services schedule to WTO for certification
3 December 2018
November 2018
-
Estimated period for EU and UK parliamentary approval of the Withdrawal Agreement (once agreed)
November 2018-March 2019 -
Special European Council meeting – EU27 leaders endorse the draft Withdrawal Agreement and approve the draft Political Declaration on the Future Relationship
25 November 2019 -
UK Government and EU agree draft Withdrawal Agreement and the Outline of the Political Declaration on the Future Relationship
14 November 2018
October 2018
-
European Council meeting – Original target date for concluding Brexit negotiations
18-19 October 2018
September 2018
-
Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 receives Royal Assent
13 September 2018
July 2018
-
Eighteenth round of Brexit negotiations
24 July 2018 -
Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Act 2018 receives Royal Assent
19 July 2018 -
Seventeenth round of Brexit negotiations
16 July 2018 -
UK Government publishes White Paper on the future UK-EU relationship
12 July 2018 -
UK Government publishes Chequers statement on a UK negotiating position for future UK-EU relationship
6 July 2018
June 2018
-
Sixteenth round of Brexit negotiations
28 June 2018 -
European Union (Withdrawal) Act received Royal Assent
26 June 2018 -
Fifteenth round of Brexit negotiations
5 June 2018
May 2018
-
Fourteenth round of Brexit negotiations
22 May 2018
April 2018
-
Thirteenth round of Brexit negotiations
16 April 2018
March 2018
-
European Council meeting - European Council adopts negotiating guidelines on the framework for the UK-EU future relationship
22-23 March 2018 -
UK Government and European Commission agree the legal text of a transitional period and publish a draft Withdrawal Agreement
19 March 2018 -
Twelfth round of Brexit negotiations
16 March 2018 -
Eleventh round of Brexit negotiations
13 March 2018 -
Tenth round of Brexit negotiations
5 March 2018 -
UK Prime Minister gives Mansion House speech on the UK’s future economic partnership with the EU
2 March 2018
February 2018
-
Ninth round of Brexit negotiations
26 February 2018 -
Eighth round of Brexit negotiations
18 February 2018 -
Seventh round of Brexit negotiations
6 February 2018
January 2018
-
European Council adopts negotiating directives on transitional period
29 January 2018
December 2017
-
European Council adopts negotiating guidelines for phase 2 – transitional period
15 December 2017 -
European Commission recommends to European Council to conclude that sufficient progress made on withdrawal matters for negotiations to move on to phase 2 (transitional period) and phase 3 (future relationship). European Commission and UK Government publish a Joint Report on the status of the negotiations
8 December 2017
November 2017
-
Sixth round of Brexit negotiations begin
9 November 2017
October 2017
-
European Council meeting - European Council decides that insufficient progress has been made in the first phase of negotiations to enable the second phase to begin
19 - 20 October 2017 -
Fifth round of Brexit negotiations begin
9 October 2017
September 2017
-
Fourth round of Brexit negotiations begin
25 September 2017 -
German federal election - Angela Merkel re-elected German Chancellor
24 September 2017 -
UK Prime Minister gives Florence speech setting out the UK’s proposed future relationship with the EU and details of a transitional period after Brexit
22 September 2017
August 2017
-
Third round of Brexit negotiations
28 August - 31 August 2017
July 2017
-
Second round of Brexit negotiations
17-20 July 2017
June 2017
-
Queen's Speech setting out a number of Brexit bills: Repeal Bill, Customs Bill, Trade Bill, Immigration Bill, Fisheries Bill, Agriculture Bill, Nuclear Safeguards Bill, International Sanctions Bill, Data Protection Bill
21 June 2017 -
Brexit negotiations begin
19 June 2017 -
UK general election - Theresa May re-elected as UK Prime Minister
8 June 2017
May 2017
-
Council of the EU approves negotiating mandate permitting the European Commission to commence Article 50 negotiations with the UK
22 May 2017 -
French presidential election (second round) - Emmanuel Macron elected President of France
7 May 2017 -
European Commission publishes draft negotiating mandate
3 May 2017
April 2017
-
European Council adopts the EU’s negotiating guidelines
29 April 2017 -
French presidential election (first round)
23 April 2017
March 2017
-
European Council publishes draft EU negotiating guidelines
31 March 2017 -
UK Government publishes White Paper on legislating for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU
30 March 2017 -
UK Prime Minister, Theresa May gives notice to the European Council of the UK’s intention to leave the EU. Two-year period for Article 50 negotiations commences
29 March 2017 -
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill receives Royal Assent
16 March 2017 -
Dutch general election - Mark Rutte re-elected Dutch PM
15 March 2017 -
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill approved by both Houses of Parliament
13 March 2017
February 2017
-
UK Government publishes White Paper on the UK’s exit from and new partnership with the EU
2 February 2017
January 2017
-
UK Supreme Court judgment finds that an Act of Parliament is required before the UK Government can give notice under Article 50, but that the UK Government is not required to consult the devolved legislatures
24 January 2017 -
UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, gives a speech setting out 12 priorities for negotiating the UK’s exit from the EU
17 January 2017
December 2016
-
UK Parliament votes in favour of triggering Article 50 by 31 March 2017
7 December 2016
November 2016
-
High Court judgment in Miller and Santos that the UK Government cannot use the Royal Prerogative to trigger Article 50
3 November 2016
October 2016
-
Belfast High Court judgment finds in favour of UK Government that it does not need the consent of the Northern Irish Assembly to leave the EU
28 October 2016 -
At the Conservative Party conference, Theresa May confirms that she will trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017 and announces the Great Repeal Bill
2 October 2016
July 2016
-
Theresa May becomes new UK Prime Minister
13 July 2016
June 2016
-
UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, resigns
24 June 2016 -
Referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU
23 June 2016