Today, at 12:30 p.m, Prime Minister Theresa May will officially trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which will begin the process of removing the United Kingdom from the European Union.

With the article triggered, two years of negotiations between the UK and the EU will determine the terms of Britain’s exit from the EU. In addition, the UK will need to complete new trade deals with the member nations of the EU.

The last date that the UK can still possibly be in the EU is March 29, 2019. No matter if the UK has secured trade deals or not, come that date the UK will officially no longer be a part of the EU.

The negotiations for the United Kingdom will be lead by Oliver Robbins, the permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the EU, Sir Tim Barrow, UK ambassador to Brussels, and his deputy Shan Morgan. The negotiations will be overseen by Theresa May and the Secretary for State for Exiting the EU, David Davis.

On April 29, the other 27 European Union nations will hold a meeting where they will discuss and agree upon a formal common response and negotiation position to the UK’s departure from the Union.

By late May and early June, negotiations are expected to have started.

Up until the United Kingdom formally leaves the European Union, they will be held to and bound by the obligations and responsibilities of the European Union.

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