On what date did the United Kingdom formally leave the European Union?

Prepare for the UK Politics Test with our comprehensive quiz. Test your knowledge with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

On what date did the United Kingdom formally leave the European Union?

The official moment the UK leaves is when the withdrawal agreement takes effect, sometimes called Brexit Day. For the United Kingdom, that moment was 31 January 2020, when the UK formally ceased to be a member of the EU under treaty terms. Note that a transition period then ran until 31 December 2020, during which most EU rules continued to apply while new trade arrangements were negotiated. The other dates don’t mark the formal exit: 31 January 2019 is before the departure, 31 December 2020 is the end of the transition, and 1 February 2020 is simply the day after Brexit.

The official moment the UK leaves is when the withdrawal agreement takes effect, sometimes called Brexit Day. For the United Kingdom, that moment was 31 January 2020, when the UK formally ceased to be a member of the EU under treaty terms. Note that a transition period then ran until 31 December 2020, during which most EU rules continued to apply while new trade arrangements were negotiated. The other dates don’t mark the formal exit: 31 January 2019 is before the departure, 31 December 2020 is the end of the transition, and 1 February 2020 is simply the day after Brexit.

More practice questions