The Road To Brexit

The Dawn of Brexit: A Timeline

The Road to Brexit

In 2016, the United Kingdom held a referendum on its membership in the European Union. The results were close, but in the end, a slim majority of voters opted to leave the EU. This decision, known as Brexit, marked the beginning of a complex and protracted process of negotiation and withdrawal.

Key Milestones

**June 23, 2016:** The United Kingdom votes to leave the European Union in a referendum.

**March 29, 2017:** The UK triggers Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, formally beginning the two-year negotiation period.

**December 8, 2017:** The UK and EU reach an agreement on the first phase of negotiations, covering issues such as citizens' rights and the financial settlement.

**November 13, 2018:** The UK and EU reach a draft withdrawal agreement, which is due to be put to a vote in the UK Parliament.

**January 15, 2019:** The UK Parliament votes down the withdrawal agreement by a significant majority.

**April 10, 2019:** The UK and EU agree to extend the negotiation period until October 31, 2019.

**October 17, 2019:** The UK Parliament approves a revised withdrawal agreement, negotiated by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

**January 23, 2020:** The UK Parliament passes the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, giving legal effect to the withdrawal agreement.

**January 31, 2020:** The United Kingdom leaves the European Union at 2300 GMT.