The First Chapter of Brexit Officially Closes: The United Kingdom is No Longer an EU Member

The United Kingdom has officially left the European Union, a body it has been a member of for 47 years. The process of exiting the EU took 3.5 years for the UK. Prime Minister Boris Johnson describes the country’s departure from the EU as the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of all Britons, as reported by TASS.

“This is the dawn of a new era in which we will no longer agree that the opportunities in your and your family's life depend on where in the country you live. This is the moment when we start to unite and reach a new level. Our role as a government, my job should be to unite our country and move it forward,” Johnson stated in his address.

“I will do what everyone else is doing, I will mark our exit from the EU with dignity. I would like to honor this event as respectfully as possible, given the magnitude of the occasion,” Johnson added.

The Prime Minister noted that Brexit would be a significant moment for the United Kingdom, also a “moment of hope and new opportunities.” Johnson aims to strike trade agreements with the United States and other non-European countries.

On January 30, the European Council approved the agreement regarding the terms of the UK's exit (Brexit), fully completing the ratification process of the deal by Brussels. Thus, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union at midnight on January 31.

It is worth noting that nothing will change until the end of the year; Britain simply will not be able to participate in decision-making. The UK will remain in the customs union and maintain access to the EU internal market. Hence, January 31 marked the end of the first chapter of the lengthy Brexit process.