Brexit  Finance department

To understand Brexit we have to understand  Can enter into agreement, treaties on

EU first. behalf of EU countries
European Union  Euro-pol
 EU court of justice
28 countries-1
Integration based on
3. Social Integration
 Economic Issues
 Common migration policies
 Political Issues
 Regional immigrants
 Social Issues
 Common refugee policy
Syrian refugee issue: Greece accommodated
1. Economic Integration
more than other countries. EU were to sort
Includes
out equal distribution
a) Common job markets
 Schengen Visa
Quota for other Europeans countries in job
Citizen of particular EU country is the
market- UK has accommodated 3.7M.
citizen of EU
France has 4M Europeans job holders.
Borderless Europe
UK contributed 14B Euros in 2107
 Euro-train
France contributed 17B.
Euro-star
b) Free trade
Free trade zones
 Euro zone — Tax tariffs 0-12% Brexit Referendum
 Non Euro Zone — Tax tariffs 4-18% 1. Historical Background
Note: WTO — Tax can be as low 12% to as Opposition to European Economic
max as 38% community because
 Wanted agreement with EEC as
c) Common trade policies well common wealth
Collectively go into agreement. No country  Against sovereignty
can enter into on their own. UK played Lisbon agreement: Any country wants to
pivotal role — Pakistan gsp+1 status pull out can only pull out through
ECB got enormous powers of printing referendum
2016- Brexit referendum by marginal 51.9%
d) Common bailout packages England and Wales voted in favour of
ECB to provide common bailout facilities o referendum by voting 53% and 522.5% in
EU countries favour
 Greece — 2001 Scotland and Ireland voted 56% and 62%
 PIIGS nations against the Brexit
2. Reasons of with-drawl
e) Concept of common currency  Social
Euro was introduced in 1999  Political
Those who adopted were included in the  Economic
Euro-zone. More beneficial.
European central bank was given massive 1. Social Reasons
powers monetary powers  Unemployment had skyrocketed
 Old age conservative played a
pivotal role
2. Political Integration
67% votes were submitted by voters of 60+
Massive legislative powers
UK was not ready to accommodate Syrian
75% of its members come through Suffrage
refugees
Represents the will of the EU countries
2. Political Reasons
 Common trade policies
 UK wanted sovereign powers
 Policies of EU budget
 UK wanted preferential trade
 Common job market
agreements rather the integrating
 Common foreign policy
policies for trade
 Legislative assembly
 Populism: Driven by conservatives
 Did not want to be undermined by Parliament rejected both deals
German and French Hegemony. Suspension of Parliament by PM
Called illegal by Judiciary

3. Economic Reasons One option was left- Snap election

 UK wanted to come out of common job Conservative party won
market B. Johnson passed the resolution through
 UK wanted to have their own trade parliament
policies It was decided that after 11 months they
 NHS was crisis while they contributed would leave EU.
14B Euros to EU No Deal
 Transition era
 UK is no more part of institution bloc
from 1st Feb 2020
Brexit deal  Future relations between EU and UK to
Teresa May had two options be discussed
 Hard Exit  Good Friday agreement
 Soft Exit  From Jan. 1t 2021, UK will not be part
of EU’s single market
A. Soft Exit Post Brexit ties
1. Status quo prevails EU want comprehensive ties with UK
If UK pull out of 3.7M job for EU countries. UK want simpler free trade and agreements
It will 4M of its own unemployed in Europe on other matters
EU also wanted UK not to leave like that as In case deal is not finalized, UK will be seen
UK jobs were high paid in comparison to “third” country, creating barriers and
other EU countries obstacles to trade and will see and end to
2. Common trade laws with EU and EU deal, no deal limbo
would not intervene in new agreements of
UK with the rest of the world.
3. UK will be part of single market. Implications on UK
4. Status quo on the future of Ireland 1. Sovereignty is back
Good Friday agreement to be held. Free 2. Not a complete exit
borders between Northern and Republic of 3. UK faced political crisis for more than
Ireland to be followed. two years
N. Ireland demanded soft border 4. Two snap election
5. Gulf in mentalities
Response of the British Parliament 6. EU was twice requested for extension as
Soft deal was rejected. Three factions were per Lisbon agreement
formed in the British parliament. 7. Judicial activism: judiciary termed
a. Hard Brexitiers: Small in numbers. suspension of parliament as illegal
Majority conservative 8. Rise in populism
b. Supporter of EU: labour party 9. 46% of Scotland voted for moving out of
c. Supporter of soft exit: Overwhelmingly UK
conservative party 10. The future of Ireland depends Status quo

Resultantly, All of the deals were rejected. Implications on EU

Motion of no confidence against Theresa 1. Process of disintegration started.
may but she survived. However, she went First UK, France and Italy to follow.
into snap election to cover bruised ego. Germany is not too content too. Hitler
however Boris Johnson came to power supporters are there too
He proposed two deals Greece saw rise in populist leader to helm,
a. Deal by Theresa May who is also talking about with-drawl
b. No deal UK opposed PIIGS bailout
Implications on Pakistan
1. Status of Gsp+ is in danger
Resulted in 1b Euros export to EU
2. UK is third largest trade partner for
Pakistan and 2nd largest exporting marking.
Now as the UK has the power to re-
negotiate, there is hope UK would treat
Pakistan better.
3. The future of remittances from EU in
general and K in particular are in
confusion. UK is third largest country in
the case of remittances.

This article is updated regularly as events

unfold.
The United Kingdom left the European Union —
now an economic and political partnership of 27
countries — on January 31, 2020, bringing to an
end 47 years of British membership of the EU and UK considering whether to join EU's vaccine
the institutions that preceded it. scheme amid pandemic
Attention has since turned to negotiating the future
EU-UK relationship beyond a stand-still transition 1. WHERE WE ARE
period that ends on December 31, 2020 —
heralding abrupt and major changes unless there is NOW: Negotiating the
an agreement.
Meeting this tight deadline was going to be a huge
future relationship
challenge, even before the fierce onslaught of the The UK ceased to be a member of the EU from
coronavirus pandemic. But despite a stalemate at February 1, 2020, and is no longer part of the bloc's
the talks, an extension to the transition period has institutions. Both sides now aim to strike a deal on
been ruled out. trade and the future UK-EU relationship, to come
"Brexit" — the term used to describe Britain's EU into effect when the transition period expires at the
departure — represents the most important end of December.
constitutional shake-up the UK has known since it Come January 1, 2021, the UK will no longer be
joined the six-nation European Economic part of the EU's Single Market and Customs Union,
Community in 1973. It is also the first time the and subject to an agreement all legal aspects of
European institution has lost a member. Britain's membership of the bloc will cease to
The UK voted to leave the EU by 52% to 48% in apply.
June 2016. It followed decades of increasing The negotiations which began in March 2020 cover
hostility to the European project in the United trade in goods, plus a wide range of other areas
Kingdom, reinforced in recent years by a rise in including services, fishing and farming, aviation,
nationalist sentiment, particularly in England. security cooperation, data policy, education and
Other factors such as austerity and frustration with science.
traditional politics have also been cited as reasons
— amid a wider debate over the role of the nation
What does each side
state and the rise of populism in an age of
globalisation.
want from post-Brexit
The vote revealed strains between the UK's ties?
individual countries: England (53%) and Wales The European Union wants one comprehensive
(52.5%) voted to leave the EU, whereas Scotland treaty covering everything, whereas the United
and Northern Ireland voted by 62% and 56% Kingdom is seeking a simpler free trade deal and
respectively to remain. Other divisions have also separate agreements on other matters.
been exposed: between metropolitan areas and Although the talks involve elaborate technical
small towns for example, and different age groups detail both sides have over-arching political
and social classes. objectives. The UK wants to make sure its
The referendum's aftermath plunged the UK into its European ties do not compromise its new
worst political and constitutional crisis since the independence; the EU needs to show that life inside
Second World War. Brexit day was repeatedly the bloc is better than outside, and has consistently
delayed amid deadlock in the British parliament said the UK cannot "cherry-pick" benefits without
over the divorce terms. obligations.
There has been concern that the prolonged, The deadline is the end of the year and the expiry
acrimonious process has shifted attention from of a post-Brexit “transition period” that keeps most
major global challenges, not least the battle to arrangements from the UK's EU membership
address the climate emergency — now temporarily in place. In practice a deal will need to
compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and its be struck earlier to allow time for the ratification
economic fallout. For many in Europe, the prospect process and for both sides to get ready.
of an institutionalised rift between the UK and the Without an accord, the UK will thereafter be
EU weakens the continent at a time when America legally considered a "third" country by the EU,
has become more isolationist, and China and creating significant barriers to trade and other
Russia increasingly assertive. aspects of life. Both sides’ red lines have raised
Latest developments and stories (to July fears that no deal may be reached, bringing an
10): abrupt, damaging “cliff-edge” at the end of 2020.
Britons warned of 'thorough' EU border checks The process cannot be separated however from the
after transition period ends pandemic and the greatest economic crisis since
Coronavirus and Brexit talks are putting World War II, which call for international
Scottish independence firmly back on the cooperation and action to ease catastrophic
agenda ǀ View problems, not make them worse.
Brexit talks resume in London after deadlock in Read more:
Brussels What are the sticking points in a post-Brexit
Merkel warns EU must prepare for 'no-deal' UK-EU trade deal? | Euronews answers
given current pace of trade talks Brexit trade talks: five key terms explained
 In June both sides agreed to intensify talks over the
'Level playing field': the summer to work towards a deal on trade and the
new post-Brexit fault line future relationship, after extremely sluggish
progress during the first few months of
The EU and the UK have signed up to various negotiations.
assurances on future trade competition and other Coronavirus puts a spanner in the works
matters. This includes a commitment to a "level A first round of talks in March was followed by a
playing field" covering issues such as state aid, six-week suspension amid the coronavirus
social and workers' rights, the environment and outbreak, which totally overshadowed the process
climate change. as it developed into a full pandemic. Key figures
These engagements come in the Political including Barnier and UK Prime Minister Boris
Declaration on the shape of future EU-UK Johnson were struck at various stages by COVID-
relations, negotiated as part of the divorce deal 19.
agreed in the autumn of 2019, paving the way for Three further rounds took place by video link
the UK's departure from the bloc. The document instead of face-to-face talks, a step seen as
provides a framework designed to form the basis necessary but unsatisfactory given the detail
for a future trade agreement. involved and the dozens of negotiators on each
The declaration relates to a future EU-UK side.
economic relationship where the UK opts for a At each stage, both sides expressed frustration at
Free Trade Agreement (FTA). But in return for the lack of progress. At the end of the second round
zero tariffs and quotas, the UK makes "robust of talks in April, Barnier effectively accused the
commitments" to ensure "open and fair UK of dragging its feet.
competition". He used similar language at the end of a third
However, the declaration is engagement is legally round of discussions in mid-May, accusing the
non-binding — as opposed to the divorce deal's UK of a lack of ambition. His British counterpart
Withdrawal Agreement, on the terms of the UK's David Frost agreed that little progress had been
departure, which has the force of an international made, accusing the EU of adopting an ideological
treaty. Critics are wary that the commitments may approach.
not be watertight — especially given the Johnson After the fourth round in early June, the EU
government's avowed intention to diverge from EU negotiator's language was starker than ever. Barnier
rules and forge an independent trading path. said no significant progress had been made towards
In the original declaration negotiated by the a deal, accusing the UK of backtracking on
previous UK government but which was never commitments. Frost said progress had been
ratified, the then Prime Minister Theresa May "limited" and regretted the remote format.
envisaged the UK remaining closely aligned to EU Read more:
rules and standards. Analysis: How will the COVID-19 downturn
After the subsequent agreement was struck by her affect EU-UK trade talks?
successor Boris Johnson, some observers argued Post-Brexit trade: Row over state aid as face-to-
that negotiations over future ties risked being much face talks resume in Brussels
more complicated and harder to resolve than the Transition extension is ruled out
terms of the divorce deal. The stalemate resulting The divorce agreement allowed for a two-year
from the first rounds of talks in the spring of 2020 extension of the transition period to give more time
would appear to bear this out. for negotiation, with an end-of-June deadline for a
Running parallel to the Brexit saga has been the decision on whether to invoke it. Both sides have
UK's evolving relationship with the United States, agreed however that there will be no prolongation,
with which Britain hopes to strike a future trade the EU having accepted the UK's opposition to it.
deal. Trade experts say the UK faces a key choice Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Britain
over regulatory alignment: whether to stay close to consistently ruled out any extension
EU rules to access the European market, or follow having legislated to that effect — although the full
American regulation. effect of the global health and economic crisis in
Read more:Four areas threatening to scupper the coming months remains to be seen.
EU-UK deal on trade and future ties Some voices had called on the UK to seek an
Trade talks intensified extension: they include the head of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina
after months of stalemate Georgieva, the European Parliament's largest group
the European People's Party, and the anti-Brexit
Following the UK's departure from the bloc in
campaign group Best for Britain.
January, the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier
Critics say the shorter deadline provides nowhere
and his team were granted a new mandate from the
near enough time to conclude a deal embracing all
European Council — made up largely of national
aspects of future EU-UK relations. One possibility
leaders — to negotiate the post-Brexit EU-UK
evoked is for a simpler, more “bare-bones” trade
relationship. The UK under Boris Johnson's new
deal to be struck, leaving the detail of other policy
government also set out its position.
areas to be sorted out later.
Read more:
UK to phase in post-transition border checks on Why might December
EU goods to help businesses amid pandemic
Failing to collaborate over fisheries will sink any 2020 see another 'no-deal
hope of EU-UK deal ǀ View
'Serious differences' between EU and UK
scenario'?
Both sides outlined sharply contrasting positions as Throughout 2019, the fear for many on both sides
they flexed their muscles in advance of the talks. of the English Channel was that the UK could
Officials in Brussels were reportedly taken aback "crash out" of the EU without an agreed deal on
by the stance of Boris Johnson’s government — either the terms of the divorce or the future
which is seeking a far more distant, independent relationship. Had that happened, legal
relationship with the EU than the one sought under arrangements covering many aspects of everyday
the previous UK prime minister, Theresa May. life would have abruptly ceased to apply.
EU leaders have called for an “ambitious” wide- But the threat of such a "no deal" exit in January
ranging agreement — subject to conditions. Setting 2020 vanished with the UK election result in
out the EU's position, chief negotiator Michel December 2019. The UK went on to leave the EU
Barnier said there could be no trade deal unless under the ratified withdrawal agreement. Its
Britain agreed to the "level playing field" provisions — on the financial settlement, citizens'
commitment included in the EU-UK divorce deal rights, and Northern Ireland — are now protected
(see above), and did not undercut EU regulations. under a binding treaty whatever the outcome of
He subsequently said that "serious differences" negotiations on future ties, as explained above.
remained between both sides. The new "no deal" that is being talked about refers
But during the pre-talks period Johnson, other not to Britain's exit from the EU — but to a
ministers and officials, all highlighted the UK's potential failure to reach agreement on future
stance: that being able to diverge from EU rules relations by the end of the 11-month transition
and standards was the essence of Brexit and the period.
UK’s “new footing as an independent sovereign The formidable challenge of securing a trade deal
nation”. with the EU in a few months during the transition
Britain is seeking a narrower free trade deal similar period — a task that usually takes the bloc several
to those the EU has done with countries such as years — means both sides could be staring at
Canada. Brussels stresses it has always been clear another economic "cliff-edge" in 2020.
that the UK’s geographical proximity to the EU, Failure to secure a trade deal would hit the UK's
and degree of economic integration with Europe, economy but also those of its closest continental
mean the same rules cannot apply. neighbours — and Ireland. It would bring an
Read more:Britain must abide by EU data immediate change in the trading relationship
protection rules after Brexit, says EU between the UK and the EU.
Commission Other important matters such as cooperation on
Mutual accusations security and terrorism, education and science risk
Michel Barnier has repeatedly said the UK has being left up in the air if no detailed agreement is
failed to engage on a commitment to respect a reached on future EU-UK relations.
"level playing field" in competition, while his Read more:
counterpart Frost has effectively accused Brussels Belgian fishermen fear Brexit fish fight fallout
of moving the goalposts. British fishermen fear that EU trade deal will
The EU chief negotiator has been equally leave them out in the cold
disparaging over the UK's stance on matters such British territory Gibraltar 'could stay in
as governance, law enforcement, and sustainable Schengen Area after Brexit'
development -- adding that the British seemed to
misunderstand the consequences of leaving the
Brexit divorce deal: the
EU's Single Market and Customs Union.
On the British side, Frost accuses Brussels of
UK's exit terms
The UK's departure from the EU on January 31,
unfairly trying to tie the UK into EU rules and
2020 took effect under the terms of the revised
standards, arguing that EU demands on fishing are
divorce agreement struck by London and Brussels
incompatible with UK sovereignty.
in October 2019.
Read more:
The deal consists of a Withdrawal Agreement on
EU more vital than US, say UK businesses
the terms of departure, accompanied by the
calling for more Brexit clarity
Political Declaration on future ties (see above).
Does Brexit mean the end of Erasmus for
The divorce terms in the Withdrawal Agreement
British students?
cover matters such as the UK's financial settlement,
How will Brexit impact Europe's defence? |
provisions for Northern Ireland, and safeguards for
Euronews answers
the rights of EU citizens living in the UK, and
Britons living on the continent.
Under the divorce deal, a transition period came
into effect upon the UK’s departure and will run
until December 31, 2020. During this period many which wants to pursue an independent trade policy.
existing arrangements will remain in place. But in practice, after the end of the transition
Read more: What changed after midnight on period it will follow EU customs rules and be
Friday January 31? Not a lot. subject to EU oversight.
The existing rules still in force during this period The North will remain aligned with some aspects
cover matters including freedom of of the EU's Single Market — and apply EU law on
movement (the right of EU citizens to move to VAT (Value Added Tax) rules.
other EU countries to live and work), cross-border Customs and regulatory checks will not be carried
travel and personal rights. out on the island of Ireland, but at ports —
The UK intends to introduce a new immigration effectively creating a new regulatory divide in the
policy from January 2021, with legislation going Irish Sea between Great Britain and Northern
through parliament to implement it. EU nationals Ireland. The UK government has accepted that this
will no longer have preferential treatment, under a will mean some controls on goods, backtracking on
points-based system to attract skilled workers. Boris Johnson's previous insistence that there
Read more: would be no checks.
'Speak English' in order to work in UK, Britain This arrangement is effectively an insurance policy
tells post-Brexit migrants to avoid a hard border — such as border posts —
UK immigration policy: Is Boris Johnson being and protect the cross-frontier economy between
fair to future EU migrants? Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic
Britain's 'hostile environment' is destroying the of Ireland (part of the EU), post-Brexit.
lives of those who contribute to the UK ǀ View It replaces the plan in the previous, rejected
withdrawal deal known as the backstop. In the
The Withdrawal absence of a trade deal or an alternative solution,
Agreement: a binding the idea was for the whole of the UK to remain in a
customs union with the EU, while Northern Ireland
treaty would be aligned even more closely with EU rules.
The backstop's removal means this arrangement
The revised Withdrawal Agreement keeps the will no longer happen.
provisions in the previously negotiated deal on the The revised agreement has similarities with an
key “divorce” issues: settling the UK's financial original EU proposal for a Northern Ireland-only
obligations to the EU, and setting backstop — which was rejected by Theresa May's
out arrangements for Northern Ireland, government — but is more complex, and has one
and citizens' rights. key difference in that legally, Northern Ireland will
These safeguard residency and social security be in the UK customs union.
rights for EU nationals living in the UK and The accord deals with the issue of Northern Irish
Britons in the EU, and maintain freedom of consent for these changes: Northern Ireland's
movement until the end of the transition period. assembly will be able to decide on whether to keep
The arrangements came into force when the UK the new arrangements — but only four years after
left the EU at the end of January under the terms of the transition period.
the ratified deal, and have the force of an Read more:
international treaty. UK backtracks on pledge to avoid Northern
The main change from the deal negotiated by Ireland customs checks
Theresa May's government is that the controversial What next for Northern Ireland after return of
Irish "backstop" contained in the previous accord power-sharing assembly?
(see below) — to keep an open border on the island Brexit is a rupture in UK-EU relations. But it
of Ireland — is scrapped in the new agreement. obscures a much bigger tragedy for Ireland |
Read more: View
What's in Boris Johnson's Brexit deal with the
European Union? 2. HOW WE GOT
What the Brexit deal means for EU citizens
living in the UK HERE: Brexit follows
What the Brexit deal means for UK citizens
living in the EU decades of UK soul-
Arrangements for Northern Ireland
Brexit means that the border between Northern searching over Europe
Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of The United Kingdom's place in Europe — and
Ireland (part of the EU) – one of the most vice-versa — is an issue that arguably was never
politically sensitive frontiers in the world — now properly resolved after the Second World War, and
becomes the European Union's only land border came to a head with the Brexit referendum.
with the United Kingdom. All sides agree this must Many in the UK, especially in England, have
remain open, but the historically sensitive and always been sceptical of the political pan-European
complex issue bedevilled the divorce talks. project revered by many on the continent. The
Under the revised deal, Northern Ireland will leave antagonism towards the EU that surfaced during
the EU's Customs Union with the rest of the UK, Margaret Thatcher's premiership in the 1980s has
 been followed by decades of hostile media between January and March 2019 — causing
coverage, especially in British tabloids. Brexit to be delayed and leading eventually to
At the heart of the debate in the UK is the balance May's resignation and her replacement by Boris
to be struck between two objectives: a desire for Johnson.
independence, sovereignty and autonomy against Read more:What was in Theresa May's Brexit
the need to retain access to European markets, deal and why was it so unpopular?
which, the EU has always insisted, means adhering Derailed by the backstop
to EU rules. To guarantee an open border, the backstop
The turmoil in the British domestic political scene envisaged the UK remaining in a "single customs
has cut across party lines. Internal party divisions territory" with the EU, in the absence of a free
have affected both the UK government and trade deal or an alternative solution. It proved to be
opposition. The ruling Conservative party in a major stumbling block in the negotiations.
particular has long been riven between Eurosceptic Eurosceptic critics, including the Conservative
and Europhile factions. anti-EU European Research Group (ERG),
suspected it would have kept the UK strapped
A history of UK-EU permanently to EU trade policy. EU sources
tension pointed out that the UK-wide mechanism in the
withdrawal agreement was included at the UK’s
Check out our series on the history of the United request, to avoid splitting off Northern Ireland from
Kingdom's complicated relations with the the rest of the UK.
European Union: Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party
 Part 1, 1973-1990: Je T'aime, Moi Non Plus (DUP), on whose support the May government
 Part 2, 1990-2004: I'd Do Anything For Love depended, has always vehemently opposed any
 Part 3, 2004-2016: Should I Stay or Should I Go move it believes might separate Northern Ireland
 Part 4, 2016-2017: I Will Survive from the rest of the United Kingdom. Under the
 Part 5, 2017-2019: Never Can Say Goodbye backstop, as set out in May's deal, Northern Ireland
would stay aligned to some EU rules.
 Brexit Timeline 2016—2020: key events in the
Revisions fail to stop defeats
UK's path from referendum to EU exit
As the clock ticked down towards the original
Theresa May's deal March 29 deadline, the UK and the EU said they
had agreed a revised Brexit deal following weeks
repeatedly rejected by of deadlocked talks between London and Brussels.
EU27 leaders had refused to alter the text of the
UK parliament withdrawal agreement. But Theresa May said she
The referendum result in June 2016 prompted the had secured legally-binding changes over the
resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron — backstop’s application. The British parliament had
who had led the campaign to keep the UK in the voted to seek “alternative arrangements”.
EU. He was replaced the following month by The parliamentary deadlock prompted moves by
Theresa May, who in March 2017 triggered the MPs from different parties to wrest control of the
EU's Article 50 — giving formal notification of the Brexit process and allow a series of "indicative
UK's intention to leave — two years later on March votes" to explore alternative solutions to the
29, 2019. government's deal. But there was no majority for
London and Brussels then negotiated a withdrawal any particular solution, other than an opposition to
deal over an 18-month period, which was finally no-deal.
agreed in November 2018 and approved by the 27 Read more:How Brexit defined then destroyed
other EU governments. Theresa May's premiership
The former prime minister insisted her negotiated Theresa May's Brexit battles
withdrawal agreement was in the national interest Theresa May always struggled to keep the pro and
and there was no viable alternative. She argued that anti-European wings of the Conservative Party on
it delivered on the referendum result: an end to free board with her Brexit plans.
movement, an end to huge UK payments to the EU, Her doomed UK-EU divorce deal represented a
and an exit from the unpopular EU structures on compromise. But the blurring of several of her so-
farming and fishing. called "red lines" on the limits of EU power
However, May had been severely weakened at sparked fury within her divided Conservative
home by an ill-judged snap election in June 2017 Party. As negotiations with Brussels brought more
which wiped out her majority in parliament. Her UK concessions, a string of government
government struggled on thanks to a deal with resignations followed.
Northern Irish unionists. But the EU agreement After the 2017 general election, which left the
brought hostility from both opponents and Tories severely weakened in parliament, hostility
supporters of Brexit, including many in the ruling amid their own ranks to any moves towards a
Conservative Party. "softer" Brexit restricted May's room for
Thanks to an alliance of forces, the EU divorce manoeuvre.
deal was rejected three times by the UK parliament
Eurosceptics including the DUP strongly opposed get her EU divorce deal through parliament —
her Brexit plan and the subsequent agreement, with became the latest in a long line of Conservative
many calling for the UK to leave the EU with no prime ministers to be brought down by Europe.
deal. In early 2019, the Tories in particular The UK's stance towards Brexit took on a distinctly
haemorrhaged support to the new hardline Brexit harder edge when Boris Johnson entered Number
Party. 10 Downing Street in late July, 2019. The former
Equally, several pro-EU MPs also opposed a deal foreign secretary and London mayor took over the
which, in their view, would leave the UK worse off reins after winning the Conservative Party
than it had been inside the bloc. Some joined calls leadership contest.
from opposition parties for a second referendum. He signalled immediately a reinvigorated drive to
Both the Conservatives and opposition Labour take the UK out of the EU on October 31 — "no ifs
parties suffered defections of some MPs to a new or buts" — raising the likelihood that the country
pro-EU centrist party. would leave the EU without a withdrawal deal.
Amid the parliamentary deadlock, pressure from The summer and autumn of 2019 saw the UK
Tory Europhiles obliged the prime minister to open government significantly ramp up its no-deal
the door to a Brexit delay — and engage in cross- preparations — since stood down — with more
party talks, which collapsed after a few weeks. funds promised. The Conservative conference in
Theresa May's fate was sealed after she revealed a Manchester had a new slogan, “Get Brexit done”
fourth plan for getting her thrice-rejected Brexit — which has echoes of the “take back control”
deal through parliament. She tweaked the rallying cry of the “Leave” campaign during the
legislative package and crucially opened the door 2016 referendum campaign.
to a possible confirmatory referendum — a move There was further turmoil in the British parliament,
which angered many in her party and sparked where there was stiff opposition to a "no-deal
another government resignation. Brexit". The government lost numerous votes in the
Brexit delay brings European election House of Commons, and lost its thin majority.
electroshock Several Tory rebels were expelled for opposing
In the wake of the repeated parliamentary defeats Brexit strategy.
for the EU divorce deal, the House of Commons Johnson suffered a humiliating defeat when the
twice forced the British government to seek to country’s highest court ruled that his government
delay Brexit. In April 2019 EU national leaders had acted unlawfully by suspending parliament.
met for a special European Council summit and In the end Boris Johnson was forced to
agreed to a six-month "flexible extension" to the compromise over Northern Ireland to win a revised
UK's departure from the bloc, with a new exit date deal. UK law obliged the prime minister to seek a
set for October 31 — or earlier if its parliament Brexit delay from the EU, which was duly granted.
approved the original withdrawal deal. Read more:Brexit timeline: Boris Johnson's
But relief at avoiding a disruptive no-deal exit was month of turmoil in September 2019
tempered by renewed uncertainty and frustration
for businesses and people — especially for EU and Boris Johnson seals new
UK expats.
The extension of the UK's EU membership also Brexit deal with EU
forced the country to take part in the European Opposition parties granted Boris Johnson his
Parliament elections in May — and send 73 newly- much-sought general election after the threat of an
elected MEPs to Strasbourg in July. imminent no-deal Brexit in October was overcome.
Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party, which advocates In the absence of parliamentary approval for his
leaving the EU without a formal agreement, renegotiated deal by October 19, the prime minister
came top of the European vote. But there was was obliged by law to seek a delay of three months
a strong showing from pro-EU parties, in from the European Union.
particular, the Liberal Democrats, who wanted to On October 29 the European Council President
reverse Brexit altogether. Donald Tusk confirmed that the EU had formally
Britain's two main parties — the Conservatives and adopted the latest extension of the UK's
the Labour opposition — were severely punished membership until 31 January 2020 — with the
by voters. Many Conservatives are furious at the option of an earlier departure if the renegotiated
failure to “deliver Brexit”, while Labour was divorce deal was ratified.
accused of sitting on the fence. The delay put paid to Boris Johnson's vow,
The results indicated that opinion in the UK had repeated many times, that the UK would leave the
become still more polarised over Brexit. EU on October 31.
New Brexit deal is struck — but UK bill is
'Get Brexit done': PM derailed
The EU and the UK announced on October 17 that
Johnson launches new they had reached agreement on a revised exit deal.
It came on the day of a crucial EU summit and
drive for EU exit door followed a period of intensified talks. The accord
The prolonged period of turmoil in British politics
came to a head when Theresa May — who failed to
was swiftly given the green light by EU national The Tories campaigned on a promise to leave the
leaders. EU by the end of January, and the prime minister's
The deal altered previously-negotiated campaign slogan of "Get Brexit done" evidently
arrangements for Northern Ireland, and envisaged a struck a chord with voters. The 80-seat margin
clearer break for the UK with the EU than the provided an ample cushion to put the UK's exit into
accord struck by Theresa May. effect.
Boris Johnson became prime minister in late July, The main opposition Labour Party suffered its
but it was early October before his government biggest defeat since 1935. Under leader Jeremy
submitted a detailed proposal for a new divorce Corbyn — since replaced by Sir Keir Starmer, the
deal to Brussels. He then threw out its controversial party's former Brexit spokesman — the party's
plan for Northern Ireland to reach a compromise. policy was much criticised. Its plan if elected was
A bill to implement the new deal passed its first to renegotiate a Brexit deal which would then have
parliamentary hurdle, but was shelved by Johnson been put to the public in a second referendum.
himself when MPs rejected the government's fast- The pro-EU Liberal Democrats won fewer than a
track three-day timetable to get it passed. Many felt dozen seats — despite increasing their share of the
far more time was needed to scrutinise measures vote — as the "Remain" vote was split. The party's
that will determine the UK's relations with Europe campaign pledge to stop Brexit altogether if elected
for years to come. proved unpopular with voters.
Read more:From deal to delay: what happened The Scottish National Party (SNP) which also
with Brexit in October 2019? campaigned to "stop Brexit", but via a second
public vote, won the vast majority of seats north of
How did Johnson reach a the border with England. Across the Irish Sea, anti-
revised deal with the EU? Brexit votes also came to the fore as Northern
Ireland elected more Irish nationalists to the UK
In a nutshell, Boris Johnson made major parliament than pro-British unionists.
concessions over Northern Ireland. Read more:
Out went the UK's previous proposals — much The road to Brexit: Boris Johnson's first six
vaunted by Brexit supporters — for "alternative months as UK prime minister
arrangements" including technological solutions to Could Johnson's election victory spell the break-
keep an invisible border. Instead, Johnson has up of the UK? | Euronews answers
agreed to a different status for Northern Ireland Tactics and pacts: Why is the Northern Irish
compared to the rest of the UK — accepting a plan election result significant?
very close to one the EU originally proposed.
The EU also gave ground, re-opening the EU welcomes 'clarity' as
withdrawal agreement it had always said was
sacrosanct. Dublin and Brussels agreed to replace Brexit becomes a
the controversial Irish border backstop that had
plagued Brexit talks for months, and opened the certainty
door to a possible time-limit on border safeguards EU leaders welcomed the "clarity" brought about
with a new consent mechanism. by the election result. Any remaining uncertainty
However, Johnson's change of tack came at a price: was removed after the divorce deal was ratified by
Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party both the British and European parliaments — legal
(DUP), until then an ally of the government, said it requirements for its terms to take effect.
could not support proposals that would create a The European Parliament passed the deal on
"border in the Irish Sea". January 29, 2020 by a large majority,
Arrangements for Northern Ireland were a key despite expressing concerns over the rights of
sticking point throughout negotiations ever since Britons living in the EU, and especially the rights
the UK triggered the formal Brexit process in of EU citizens resident in the UK.
March 2017. Behind the details over trading In the UK, the Conservatives' election victory
arrangements are fundamental questions ensured that the legislation to implement Brexit
concerning identity. The possibility of new borders was duly passed by parliament, receiving royal
— between Northern Ireland and either the Irish assent on January 23.
Republic, or Great Britain, or both — is hugely The UK left the EU on Friday, January 31 at
problematic in a region with a troubled past. midnight CET (11pm UK time).
Read more:
Tory election win ends In pictures: Brexit sparks delight, despair and
dissent
long Brexit deadlock SNP's Sturgeon talks up Scotland's place in
The UK finally broke the long-standing Brexit post-Brexit Europe
stalemate following the snap general election on Macron: Brexit day is 'historic alarm signal' for
December 12, 2019, which brought a crushing reform in Europe
victory and 80-seat parliamentary majority for
Boris Johnson's ruling Conservative Party.
 even large profitable industries would become
3. 'No-deal' revisited: "uneconomic".
Fears of economic In April 2019, a leaked letter by the government's
most senior civil servant warned of an economic
damage and disruption recession, food price rises, a severe impact on
Britain's security services, police forces and legal
in 2019 system, and a return to direct rule by the UK
government in Northern Ireland. In early August
Well before the coronavirus pandemic caused
a leaked government document contained similar
havoc, in the run-up to Brexit many political
warnings.
leaders, institutions, companies and individuals
In November 2018, two major reports by the UK
warned that a no-deal departure would bring severe
Treasury and the Bank of England assessed the
disruption and economic damage on both sides of
potential damage to the British economy of various
the English Channel — with the UK being hit
Brexit scenarios.
worse than the EU.
In an assessment of EU preparations for no-deal
However, Brexiteers dismissed “Project Fear”
published in July 2019, the UK House of
forecasts and some argued that the UK could
Commons Library described the Commission's
survive perfectly well under World Trade
programme as one of "damage limitation" to
Organisation (WTO) rules.
protect the EU27 countries.
Although the UK has since left the EU under the
terms of the divorce deal, the concerns over failure 4. How does the
to reach a deal on trade and other matters
concerning future ties have echoes today. European Union work?
Government documents, published in early The EU originally developed after World War
September 2019 and codenamed "Operation Two, with the aim of promoting economic co-
Yellowhammer", confirmed a grim assessment of operation and trade between countries to stop them
the potential impact of a no-deal Brexit on October from going to war again. Its members' economies
31. Based on the government's own preparations are now integrated around a single market allowing
for a "worst case" scenario, they contained the free movement of goods, people, services and
warnings of possible food, medicine and fuel capital.
shortages. Nineteen of the 27 member states use a single
The heightened uncertainty amid a year of British currency, the euro. The EU has its
political turmoil in 2019 twice forced the UK and own institutions and passes laws affecting many
the EU — as well as people and businesses on both issues across the union.
sides of the English Channel — to step up no-deal It highlights the benefits of membership as
preparations, as the Brexit process dragged on securing peace, promoting freedom and prosperity
without formal approval for an exit deal. as part of the single market, safeguarding food and
Read more: environmental standards, consumer benefits,
What would 'WTO terms' mean for UK-EU protecting human rights, and enhancing Europe's
trade? global power.
Why I'm excited to do business in Brexit Britain The European Council is led by its president and
as an EU entrepreneur | View is made up of the national heads of state or
Theresa May's government published a series of government, as well as the president of the
papers — some updated under her successor — Commission. It sets the EU's overall political
advising UK citizens and businesses on the direction but has no law-making powers.
consequences and how to prepare for no-deal. It
said the EU would treat the UK as a "third
country".
British economic sectors reliant on close, smooth
arrangements with Europe warned of the dangers
of new costs and restrictions being imposed
overnight. Among those sounding alarm bells
were manufacturing industries — including the car
industry, food and
drink, chemicals and pharmaceuticals – as well
as aviation, the health service, tourism,
and financial services. There were also warnings
over farming and fishing — despite strong support
for Brexit from within these two sectors.
In August 2019, after the Bank of England lowered
its growth forecast for the UK post-Brexit, its
governor Mark Carney warned that in the event of
no deal the economy would suffer an instant hit,
prices would rise and the pound would fall, and