Industry Insight
Brexit timeline: key dates, 2016–2021
A historical timeline of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the end of the transition period.
- Guides & Learning
- Article
- Oct 21, 2020
- By Crane Worldwide Logistics
Historical article
Originally published October 22, 2020. Restored and corrected September 26, 2026. This timeline records historical milestones; it is not current shipping or customs guidance.
Withdrawal from the EU
June 23, 2016 — The UK votes to leave the EU.
March 29, 2017 — The UK formally invokes Article 50.
April 10, 2019 — EU leaders agree to extend the withdrawal deadline to October 31.
October 29, 2019 — The European Council formally extends the deadline to January 31, 2020.
January 31, 2020 — The UK leaves the EU; the transition period begins.
End of the transition period
December 24, 2020 — EU and UK negotiators agree on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
December 31, 2020 — The transition period ends.
January 1, 2021 — The Trade and Cooperation Agreement begins provisional application.
Sources and corrections
The original timeline conflated EU withdrawal with the end of the transition and included an incorrect 2021 date. The corrected milestones above follow the European Council’s historical records.
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