Britain is leaving the E.U. but Brexit is far from ‘done’ – By Patrick Smith (NBC News) / Jan 31 2020
The U.K. will be subject to all of the bloc’s laws and regulations until at least the end of 2020.
LONDON — Three and a half years after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, Brexit will finally happen Friday night.
Some will gather outside the Houses of Parliament to celebrate at 11 p.m. (6 p.m. ET) what they see as a new dawn for a buccaneering, independent U.K., free of undemocratic control by Brussels. In reality, almost nothing will change overnight.
Former senior civil servants and academics have told NBC News that this second phase will be the toughest part of Brexit yet, with the U.K. forced to make concessions and compromises along the way on trade and security.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson drives a Union flag-themed excavator with the words “Get Brexit Done,” during the election campaign event in December 2019.Ben Stansall / AFP – Getty Images file
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose slogan in December’s election was “Get Brexit Done,” has promised voters he will sign a comprehensive deal by a Dec. 31 deadline, without the need to extend.
The U.K. will still be subject to all E.U. laws and regulations until at least the end of 2020 and this transition period could be extended by up to two years. And the U.K. faces a more daunting task: securing an agreement on its future relationship with the E.U., including the finer details of trade, security and data sharing.
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