Brexit Summary

The withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union, otherwise known as Brexit, was decided by referendum on 23^rd June 2016. Subsequently, on 29^th March 2017, the United Kingdom officially notified the European Council of its intention to leave the EU and the European Atomic Energy Community based on Article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union. This article stipulates that the EU will conclude an agreement with a leaving country on the conditions of withdrawal, including the arrangement of future relations. All the EU treaties and the Treaty on the European Atomic Energy Community ceased to apply to the United Kingdom on Brexit date – 31^st January 2020, based on the negotiated Withdrawal Agreement. There were several steps of ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement which preceded Brexit. The agreement entered into force on 1^st February 2020.

Upon withdrawal, the United Kingdom has formally become a third country. During the transition period lasting from Brexit date till 31^st December 2020, conditions of setting of future bilateral relation between the United Kingdom and the European Union were to be negotiated. The negotiation itself was based on the updated version of Political Declaration of 17^th October 2019 which is the fundamental part of the Withdrawal Agreement. On 24^th December 2020 the compromise text of the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom was reached. On 29^th December 2020, Agreement was approved at the level of the Council by the Member States. With the goal to come into force on 1^st January 2021 it was decided that approvement of the European Parliament would be sought during March 2021 while entering into provisional force on 1^st January 2021. The Agreement was agreed at the level of plenary session of the European Parliament on 28^th April 2021. The Agreement officially entered into force on 1^st May 2021 a day after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.

Further information about current developments concerning the negotiations can be found on the Office of the Government website and the all-department website BrexitInfo.cz where all documents issued by the European Commission and the United Kingdom concerning Brexit can be found.

Impact of Brexit on the Ministry of Health’s agenda

The Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic is monitoring several areas in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU.

In accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement the majority of areas under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health will remain administered in the same manner till the end of the transition period – 31^st December 2020, unless otherwise stated.

Additional information on Brexit to be found on other Brexit-related websites.