Brexit: Status and Outlook Derek E. Mix, Coordinator Analyst in European Affairs Shayerah Ilias Akhtar Specialist in International Trade and Finance Kristin Archick Specialist in European Affairs October 4, 2019 Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov R45944 SUMMARY R45944 Brexit: Status and Outlook October 4, 2019 After the 2016 referendum in which 52% of voters in the United Kingdom (UK) favored leaving the European Union (EU), Brexit was originally scheduled to occur on March 29, 2019. In early Derek E. Mix, Coordinator 2019, however, Parliament repeatedly rejected the withdrawal agreement negotiated between Analyst in European Affairs Prime Minister Theresa May’s government and the EU without supporting any alternative. In
[email protected] April 2019, the EU granted the UK an extension until October 31, 2019. Shayerah Ilias Akhtar Specialist in International Recent Developments and Possible Scenarios Trade and Finance After becoming Prime Minister in July 2019, Boris Johnson asserted that Brexit will take place
[email protected] on October 31 and that he will not request another extension. Johnson declared his intention to Kristin Archick renegotiate a new agreement with the EU that drops the Northern Ireland backstop provision, Specialist in European which would keep the UK in the EU customs union until the two sides agreed on their future Affairs trade relationship. The backstop provision was included in the rejected withdrawal agreement as
[email protected] an insurance policy to maintain an open border between Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland (an EU member state) while safeguarding the rules of the EU single For a copy of the full report, market.