ARTICLE 50: THE JOURNEY SO FAR

On 29 March 2017 the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, gave notice under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) ("Article 50") of the UK’s intention to leave the EU (click here for our briefing).  This means that, two years from that date, in the absence of a change of heart or agreement on a different date, the UK will leave the European Union, some 46 years after becoming a Member State of the then "European Common Market" on 1st January 1973. This is a decision of huge economic and political significance following the June 2016 Referendum in which voters in the UK by 52% to 48% voted to leave the EU.

This means that, two years from that date, in the absence of a change of heart or agreement on a different date, the UK will leave the European Union, some 46 years after becoming a Member State of the then "European Common Market" on 1st January 1973. This is a decision of huge economic and political significance following the June 2016 Referendum in which voters in the UK by 52% to 48% voted to leave the EU. 

The negotiating process will now slowly get under way and will primarily relate to the arrangements for the UK to leave the EU in 2019, although Article 50 requires any leaving agreement to take account "of the framework for [the leaving Member State's] future relationship with the European Union."

Our placemat on the Article 50 process provides a summary of the key issues that are likely to arise following the triggering of Article 50. 

Our briefings on Article 50 detail the major constitutional and legal issues that have arisen on the journey so far:

• Supreme Court rules that approval of Parliament is required to trigger Article 50. – 24 January 2017
• Government loses round one of legal Brexit challenge. – 4 November 2016
• High Court in Belfast rejects Brexit challenge. – 28 October 2016
• Is the consent of the Scottish Parliament required for Brexit? – 8 July 2016