Category Archive: BREXIT

The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January 2020. Currently there is a Withdrawal Agreement in place which provides a window until 31st December 2020. The current period is known as a transition period. This time-limited period was agreed as part of the Withdrawal Agreement and is currently planned to last until 31 December 2020. Until then, it will be business as usual for citizens, consumers, businesses, investors, students and researchers, for instance, in both the EU and the United Kingdom. The EU and the United Kingdom will use these months to negotiate a new and fair partnership for the future, based on the Political Declaration agreed between the EU and the United Kingdom in October 2019. During the Transition Period, the United Kingdom will apply the international agreements of the Union. The United Kingdom can, however, take steps to prepare and establish new international arrangements of its own. Where such agreements cover areas of Union exclusive competence, they can only enter into force, or start to apply, during the Transition Period if the UK is explicitly authorised by the EU for this purpose. The Union formally notified its international partners about the UK’s withdrawal and of the transitional arrangements foreseen in the Withdrawal Agreement, including with respect to EU international agreements through a Note Verbale, which was also endorsed by the United Kingdom. The Note Verbale informs international partners that the UK is treated as a Member State for the purposes of international agreements of the Union during the Transition Period. The Note Verbale has been sent after signature of the Withdrawal Agreement to international partners, including third countries and international organisations. If the transition period is extended, all the above conditions would continue to apply. The UK would not participate as a Member State in the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, or long-term EU budget, as of 2021. However, an extended transition period will require a financial contribution from the United Kingdom to the EU budget, because the United Kingdom would continue to participate fully in the Single Market with all its benefits. The exact amount of this financial contribution would have to be decided by the Joint Committee established for the governance of the Withdrawal Agreement. From that date onwards, it will also only be able to participate in EU programmes as a third country.