On 23 June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, and notified the European Council of its intention, in accordance with Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), on 29 March 2017. Although the then Prime Minister, Theresa May, and EU leaders sealed a withdrawal agreement in November 2018, she was unable to muster a majority for it in the House of Commons. The prolonged deadlock in the UK Parliament over the Withdrawal Agreement Bill led the UK and EU to agree on three extensions to the two-year negotiating period. Under a new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, the Conservative Party won the December 2019 general election by a considerable majority. Subsequently, royal assent was given to the UK Withdrawal Agreement Bill on 23 January 2020. The European Parliament gave its consent to the Withdrawal Agreement on 29 January 2020. As a result, UK withdrawal from the EU took effect on 1 February 2020. Under the agreement, a transitional period runs from that date until the end of 2020. During this period, the EU and the UK will negotiate their future relationship in various areas; with a trade deal set to be the highest priority.
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