BRUSSELS (AP) - A timeline of key events since Britain voted to leave the European Union and Brexit-related actions expected before the country’s slated Oct. 31 departure date:
June 23, 2016: A U.K. referendum on EU membership has 52% of voters in favor of withdrawing.
March 29, 2017: The British government formally triggers Article 50, setting in motion a plan for Britain to leave the EU on March 29, 2019.
November 25, 2018: EU leaders approve a withdrawal deal reached with British Prime Minister Theresa May after months of difficult negotiations.
January 15, 2019: British lawmakers overwhelmingly reject the Brexit deal in a 432-202 vote. The House of Commons will end up rejecting May’s agreement three times.
April 11, 2019: Britain and the EU agree for a second time to extend the withdrawal deadline, originally scheduled for March 29, to keep Brexit from happening without a deal in place. The new deadline is Oct. 31.
June 7, 2019: May steps down as Conservative Party leader over the stalled Brexit agreement, clearing the way for Boris Johnson to take over as Tory leader and Britain’s prime minister.
July 24, 2019: Johnson takes office and almost immediately makes clear the U.K. with leave the EU on Oct. 31, with or without a deal.
Aug. 28, 2019: Johnson says he will temporarily shut down Parliament by scheduling the Queen’s Speech for Oct. 14. The speech normally is a formality that outlines the legislative agenda but since Parliament is ordinarily suspended beforehand, the move means the opposition will have less time to thwart a no-deal Brexit.
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These events are scheduled to come ahead of Oct. 31:
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Aug. 29, 2019: EU foreign ministers meet in Helsinki for an informal meeting and could discuss the latest Brexit developments.
Sept. 3, 2019: British lawmakers in the House of Commons return from summer recess.
Sept. 9, 2019: Slated start of Johnson’s suspension of Parliament.
Sept. 16-19, 2019: The European Union’s parliament meets in Strasbourg, France. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is set to give his State of the Union address during the session.
Oct. 9-10, 2019: the European Parliament meets in Brussels for a two-day session.
Oct. 14, 2019: The Queen’s Speech to Parliament is set to end the suspension.
Oct. 15, 2019: Foreign ministers of EU member countries meeting in Luxembourg plan to address Brexit.
Oct. 17, 2019: The British Parliament officially reopens.
Oct. 17-18, 2019: EU leaders meet with Boris Johnson to address departure terms.
Oct. 21-24, 2019: The European Parliament meets in Strasbourg for the last time before Brexit. The session should mark the departure of U.K. representatives.
Oct. 31, 2019: Brexit takes effect.
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