Brexit? Here are the key upcoming dates in the UK’s exit

Reuters TV via REUTERS

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May speaks in Parliament, following the vote on Brexit in London, Britain, March 13, 2019, in this screen grab taken from video.

The U.K. is no longer expected to leave the EU on Friday, as British lawmakers remain at odds over how to leave the bloc.

So when will Brexit happen? Here are the next important dates in the U.K.’s process of withdrawing from the EU.

Monday, March 25

U.K. lawmakers are due to debate the next steps. Given the four month-long impasse in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Theresa May has asked the EU for more time to try to reach a consensus.

Parliamentarians remain divided about Brexit. May believes her deal with the EU is the best way to deliver Brexit, but certain politicians strongly object on one of the policies of her deal — the Irish backstop. This is an insurance policy that looks to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland (which is part of the U.K.) and the Republic of Ireland (which will remain an EU country), in case the U.K. and the EU do not strike a trade agreement.

In order to decide what happens next, U.K. lawmakers will discuss plans for “indicative votes” on Monday afternoon, and then are likely to vote late in the evening on whether these will take place on Wednesday this week. If approved, it would allow lawmakers to take control of parliamentary business and potentially hold votes that test out different Brexit options, undermining May’s control of the situation.

Tuesday, March 26

U.K. lawmakers could have a third vote on May’s deal — formally called the withdrawal agreement.

The EU may have given the U.K. an extension may it came with some caveats. If British MPs approves the agreement this week, then Brexit will be extended until May 22. If it’s rejected again, the U.K. has until April 12 to leave the EU.

Friday, March 29

U.K. law is still ready for a departure this Friday. So the House of Commons needs to decide until when it’s going to extend its EU membership and then update the current law.

Friday, April 12

If U.K. lawmakers fail to reach a compromise then this will be the day of a no-deal Brexit. This would mean the U.K. would stop being a member of the EU overnight, without any deal or transition period — a scenario that would bring massive uncertainty for businesses, citizens and markets.