April 11th, 2017:

Emissaries for the 27 EU governments meet for the first time to discuss the Union’s draft negotiating guidelines.

April 24th, 2017:

Emissaries for the 27 EU governments meet again to discuss guidelines.

April 26th – 27th, 2017:

EU’s Committee of permanent representatives convenes, followed by a meeting of European Affairs ministers the next day, to agree on the guidelines, in addition to the settlement of the financial obligations.

April 29th, 2017:

Leaders of the EU meet to confirm the guidelines. These guidelines are only the general principles which the EU will follow in discussions. These will be followed by a more detailed negotiating mandate.

May 3rd, 2017:

The EU Commission will circulate a draft negotiating mandate for Barnier, which national governments will also need to approve. Discussions between Barnier’s team and the British government will begin, but they will be about process, until the mandate is approved.

May 22nd, 2017:

The EU’s European affairs ministers approve the Commission’s negotiating proposals, giving Barnier a mandate to start the process. They will also establish a working group, making sure that the Council remains in the driving seat of negotiations. The directives require approval by a qualified majority of member-states, or 20 countries representing 65 percent of the bloc’s population, and any disagreements could further delay the process.

October 19th, 2017

The EU leaders meet in Brussels. If the bloc’s governments decide that sufficient progress has been made in the meantime in the issues of the first stage of the talks: the exit bill, the status of expatriates, and the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. There’s no need for a final agreement on those issues by then, just a political assessment that progress has been made.

Planning Ahead:

To make sure that you stay ahead of Brexit get in touch today and we can inform you of everything going forward and advise on matters to effectively manage what is happening, to make you prepared for any and all outcomes.

Our dedicated immigration solicitors offer expert business immigration advice and personal immigration advice.