Timetable for the Brexit Negotiations
Introduction
The Cabinet agreed a formal negotiating position at Chequers on 6 July 2018. A few days later the Government published a more detailed White Paper. The UK Government’s proposals for the negotiation are now decided and the timetable for the negotiations is clearer, if subject to many uncertainties. Dates of meetings between the two sets of negotiators are announced no more than a few days in advance on the European Commission’s Brexit webpage.1
This paper identifies key dates in the negotiation period based on information available in mid-July 2018.
Key dates in 2018
| 12 July 2018 | Publication of Government White Paper on the UK’s negotiating position |
| 16 July 2018 | Remaining stages of the Taxation (Cross-border) Trade Bill, House of Commons |
| 17 July 2018 | Remaining stages of the Trade Bill, House of Commons |
| 20 July 2018 | Ministers from the 27 Member States discuss progress in the negotiations at the General Affairs Council |
| 24 July 2018 | Parliament adjourns for the summer recess |
| August | No EU Meetings held this month |
| 4 September 2018 | Parliament returns from summer recess |
| Second reading of the Taxation (Cross-border) Trade Bill, House of Lords [as a supply Bill, it cannot be amended in the House of Lords] | |
| 11 September 2018 | Second reading debate on the Trade Bill, House of Lords |
| 13 September 2018 | Parliament adjourns for conference recess |
| 18 September 2018 | Ministers from the 27 Member States discuss progress in the negotiations at the General Affairs Council |
| 23 September 2018 | Labour Party Conference starts, Liverpool |
| 26 September 2018 | Labour Party Conference concludes |
| 30 September 2018 | EU’s target date for completion of negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement with the UK |
| Conservative Party Conference starts, Birmingham | |
| 3 October 2018 | Conservative Party Conference concludes |
| 9 October 2018 | Parliament returns |
| 16 October 2018 | Ministers from the 27 Member States discuss progress in the negotiations at the General Affairs Council |
| 18/19 October 2018 | European Council meeting, Brussels [possible date for agreeing the Withdrawal Treaty and the framework for the future UK-EU partnership] |
| 20 October 2018 | People’s Vote march, London |
| 22-25 October 2018 | European Parliamentary plenary session |
| October | Committee stage of the Trade Bill in the House of Lords |
| November | Earliest likely date of “meaningful vote” on the outcome of the negotiations in Parliament |
| European Parliament could begin consideration of the Withdrawal Treaty and the framework for the future UK-EU partnership | |
| 6 November 2018 | Parliament rises |
| 12 November 2018 | Parliament returns |
| 12-15 November 2018 | European Parliamentary plenary session |
| 28/29 November 2018 | European Parliamentary plenary session |
| December | Debates on the Withdrawal & Implementation Bill in the House of Commons if agreement has been reached with the EU |
| 10-13 December 2018 | European Parliament plenary session |
| 13/14 December 2018 | European Council meeting, Brussels [possible date for agreeing the Withdrawal Treaty and the framework for the future UK-EU partnership] |
| 20 December 2018 | House of Commons rises for Christmas recess |
Key dates in 2019
| 7 January 2019 | House of Commons returns [Lords’ return date not confirmed] |
| January | Target date for the UK and European parliaments to complete approval of the Withdrawal Treaty and the framework for the future UK-EU partnership |
| 21 January 2019 | Date under section 13(10), of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 the Prime Minister must inform Parliament if no agreement has been reached on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom under Article 50 and on the future partnership* |
| 26 January 2019 | Last date for a Minister to make the written statement required under section 13(10) |
| 28 January 2019 | Last date on which Parliament could debate a resolution in both Houses on the written statement required under section 13(11) |
| 21/22 March 2019 | European Council meeting in Brussels |
| 29 March 2019 | End of two-year period under Article 50 for the UK to leave the EU |
| 30 March 2019 | Transition period starts |
| * The Act contains four different procedures: for approval of the Withdrawal Treaty and future partnership agreement (section 13(1)); for rejection by Parliament of the Withdrawal Treaty and future partnership agreement (section 13(4-6)); in case there is no agreement with the EU prior to 21 January 2019 (section 13(7-9)), in which case up to 14 days are allowed for a statement to be made and up to 7 days from the date of the statement for a debate to be held; in case no agreement with the EU has been reached by 21 January 2019 (section 13(10-12)), procedure and dates as above. |
Key dates in 2020
| 31 December 2020 | Transition period due to end |
- See European Commission, ‘Taskforce on Article 50 negotiations with the United Kingdom’, 7 July 2018 ↵
