Brexit 2026: What Actually Changed After Leaving the EU?

Brexit remains one of the most consequential constitutional events in modern UK history. However, in 2026 the legal and regulatory focus is no longer on the referendum campaign or political debate, but on what Brexit has changed in practice, particularly in immigration law, trade regulation, travel rules and the status of EU-derived legislation within the UK legal system.

The United Kingdom formally left the European Union at 11pm on 31 January 2020, following the Article 50 withdrawal process. A transition period then applied until 31 December 2020, during which EU law continued to operate in the UK while the future relationship was negotiated. Since 1 January 2021, the UK has operated outside the EU single market and customs union, with its relationship governed primarily by the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

In the years since departure, further legal developments have reshaped the post-Brexit settlement. These include the end of free movement under the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020, the implementation of the EU Settlement Scheme under Appendix EU of the Immigration Rules, the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 and the Windsor Framework arrangements for Northern Ireland agreed in 2023. For employers and individuals, the operational impact is most visible through Home Office compliance and enforcement expectations, including the role of UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

Brexit is therefore no longer a pending political question. It is an established constitutional reality that continues to evolve through legislation, regulatory divergence and ongoing UK-EU engagement.

What this article is about

This article explains what Brexit means in 2026. It sets out when and how the UK left the EU, how immigration law changed, what the post-transition trading framework means in practice, how the Windsor Framework affects Northern Ireland, how retained EU law is being reformed and what travel and residency rules now apply. The aim is to provide a clear, legally accurate overview of Brexit’s current position rather than a historical narrative of the referendum campaign.

Section A: What Is Brexit and When Did It Happen?

Brexit refers to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. While the political debate surrounding Brexit dominated UK public life between 2016 and 2020, the legal process followed a defined constitutional pathway. Understanding when and how Brexit occurred is essential to understanding the current legal framework governing the UK’s relationship with the EU and the post-Brexit position of EU citizens, including EU citizens’ rights after Brexit.

1. The 2016 Referendum

The Brexit process began with the European Union Referendum Act 2015, which provided the statutory basis for a nationwide referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union.

The referendum took place on 23 June 2016. Voters were asked: “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?” The result was 51.9% in favour of leaving and 48.1% in favour of remaining, on a turnout of approximately 72%. Although the referendum was advisory in legal terms, the government treated the outcome as politically binding.

The referendum result triggered a period of constitutional uncertainty, including the Supreme Court decision in R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union [2017] UKSC 5, which confirmed that Parliament had to authorise the triggering of Article 50. This led to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017.

Section Summary (1): The 2016 referendum was enabled by statute and, while advisory in law, became the political catalyst for withdrawal. The Supreme Court confirmed that Parliament had to authorise the Article 50 notification.

2. Triggering Article 50 and the Withdrawal Process

On 29 March 2017, the UK formally notified the European Council of its intention to withdraw under Article 50 TEU. Article 50 provides a two-year period to negotiate withdrawal terms, unless extended unanimously by all EU member states.

The negotiation period was extended multiple times due to political deadlock within the UK Parliament. Ultimately, the UK and EU agreed the Withdrawal Agreement, which set out citizens’ rights protections, the financial settlement, transitional arrangements and the original Northern Ireland Protocol framework. The Withdrawal Agreement was given domestic legal effect through the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.

The UK formally left the European Union at 11pm GMT on 31 January 2020.

Section Summary (2): Article 50 was triggered in March 2017 and the Withdrawal Agreement was implemented domestically in 2020, leading to formal EU exit on 31 January 2020.

3. The Transition Period and Its End

Although the UK ceased to be an EU member state on 31 January 2020, a transition period applied until 11pm GMT on 31 December 2020. During this period, EU law continued to apply in the UK and freedom of movement continued, allowing businesses and individuals time to prepare for the post-transition framework.

The transition period allowed time to negotiate the future relationship between the UK and the EU. That future relationship is principally framed by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, with domestic implementation measures including the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020.

Since 1 January 2021, EU law no longer applies automatically in the UK, save where preserved or given effect through domestic legislation and the UK’s international obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Section Summary (3): The transition period ended on 31 December 2020. From 1 January 2021, EU law ceased to apply automatically, subject to preservation through domestic legislation and international obligations.

Section Summary

Brexit was implemented through a defined constitutional and statutory process. Following the 2016 referendum, Parliament authorised the triggering of Article 50, leading to the UK’s formal departure from the EU on 31 January 2020. The transition period ended on 31 December 2020, marking the point at which EU law ceased to apply automatically in the UK, subject to preservation through domestic legislation and the Withdrawal Agreement. Brexit is therefore legally complete as a withdrawal, although regulatory and legislative reform continues.

Section B: How Did Brexit Change UK Immigration Law?

One of the most significant and immediate legal consequences of Brexit was the end of free movement between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Prior to 31 December 2020, EU nationals exercised rights in the UK under EU law and the domestic regulations implementing free movement. Brexit brought that framework to an end and replaced it with a domestic immigration system governed entirely by UK legislation and the Immigration Rules.

In 2026, most search intent around Brexit and immigration is practical rather than political. People want to know what changed, what rules apply now, and what employers must do to stay compliant. For a broader overview of the post-2020 landscape, see immigration after Brexit.

1. The End of Free Movement

Free movement rights for EU, EEA and Swiss nationals in the UK ended at 11pm on 31 December 2020, which was the close of the transition period. The legal mechanism for ending free movement was the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020. In practical terms, this legislation removed EU-derived free movement law from the domestic framework and brought EU nationals within the scope of the Immigration Act 1971, meaning entry and stay is now controlled through domestic permission-based rules rather than treaty-based rights.

This shift is one of the clearest examples of Brexit’s legal impact. It also sits behind many of the workforce challenges and compliance issues employers have faced since 2021, including recruitment constraints and the operational burden of sponsored work routes. For the employer-facing angle, see Brexit’s impact on employers.

2. The EU Settlement Scheme

To protect the rights of EU citizens already living in the UK before the end of the transition period, the government introduced the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). The EUSS is implemented in UK law through Appendix EU of the Immigration Rules and gives effect to the citizens’ rights provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement.

The scheme allows eligible applicants to obtain either:

• Settled status (indefinite leave to remain), or
• Pre-settled status (limited leave to remain, typically granted for five years).

The main application deadline was 30 June 2021, although late applications may still be accepted where there are reasonable grounds for delay. In compliance terms, employers should be careful not to assume status exists simply because an individual has lived in the UK for a long time. Right to work evidence must still be obtained and recorded in line with the statutory scheme.

A key technical point is that pre-settled status does not automatically convert into settled status. Individuals must take active steps to qualify and apply for settlement when eligible. This is particularly relevant for HR teams supporting EU staff who joined the workforce pre-Brexit and may wrongly assume that time passing alone secures permanent status. For the practical position, see pre-settled to settled status and automatic conversion of pre-settled to settled status.

Absence rules can also affect whether an individual can build a continuous qualifying period for settlement. This can become an issue for cross-border workers, international assignees and employees who spent time outside the UK during the pandemic or on long overseas postings. For related guidance, see absence rule changes for the EU Settlement Scheme.

3. The Points-Based Immigration System After Brexit

The UK operated a points-based system prior to Brexit, but the key post-Brexit change is that EU nationals arriving from 1 January 2021 are generally required to qualify under the same permission-based immigration routes as non-EU nationals. In practice, this has centred on sponsored work routes, with the Skilled Worker visa forming the main long-term work pathway for many roles.

Most sponsored work routes require an employer to hold a Home Office sponsor licence, comply with sponsor duties and assign a Certificate of Sponsorship before the individual can apply for a visa. For employers exploring the compliance process, see sponsor licence and apply for sponsor licence.

Brexit therefore did not end EU migration to the UK. Instead, it replaced free movement with controlled economic migration based on sponsorship, skill level and the Immigration Rules. For organisations, the shift has compliance consequences as well as recruitment consequences, particularly around record-keeping, monitoring and reporting duties.

4. Can EU Citizens Still Move to the UK?

Yes, but not under free movement principles. EU nationals who were not resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 must now apply under the standard Immigration Rules. Depending on their circumstances, this may include sponsored work routes, business mobility routes, family routes or study routes. Short visits for tourism or business remain possible under visitor rules for most EU nationals, but visitor permission does not allow work beyond permitted activities.

From an employer compliance perspective, the practical question is often how EU nationals prove their right to work. EUSS holders and certain other categories can evidence status digitally, typically using a share code. Employers must follow the correct checking route and retain evidence to establish a statutory excuse. For operational guidance, see right to work checks and check employees’ right to work.

Brexit has also created discrimination risk if checks are applied inconsistently or assumptions are made based on nationality. Employers should ensure processes are uniform across the workforce and that staff responsible for onboarding understand digital status checking and escalation pathways.

Section Summary

Brexit ended free movement and brought EU nationals fully within UK immigration law from 1 January 2021. The EU Settlement Scheme protects eligible residents who were in the UK before the end of the transition period, implemented through Appendix EU. For new arrivals, the post-Brexit position is a permission-based system where many work routes require sponsorship. In practice, the compliance burden is most visible through right to work processes, digital status verification and sponsor licence duties.

Section C: How Did Brexit Change Trade Between the UK and the EU?

Before 1 January 2021, the UK participated in the EU single market and customs union. Goods moved without customs declarations, routine border checks or tariffs, and UK-based service providers in certain sectors benefited from passporting rights. The end of the transition period marked a structural change. The UK now trades with the EU as a third country under a preferential free trade agreement rather than as a member state.

The core legal framework governing trade since 1 January 2021 is the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), supplemented by domestic legislation and sector-specific regulations.

1. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA)

The UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement was agreed in December 2020 and applied provisionally from 1 January 2021 before formal ratification. It provides for zero tariffs and zero quotas on goods traded between the UK and the EU, provided that goods meet the relevant rules of origin requirements.

Zero tariffs and zero quotas do not mean frictionless trade. Businesses must demonstrate that goods originate in the UK or EU in accordance with detailed origin rules. Where goods do not qualify, standard World Trade Organization tariffs may apply.

The TCA also includes provisions on subsidy control, fisheries, transport, law enforcement cooperation and aspects of energy cooperation. However, it does not replicate membership of the single market. Regulatory autonomy has been restored, but with trade-offs where divergence may create market access barriers.

2. Customs Formalities and Border Controls

Since 1 January 2021, full customs processes apply to trade between Great Britain and the EU. The UK phased in certain import controls during 2021–2024, but the current position is that import and export declarations, safety and security filings and sector-specific checks apply in line with third-country trade rules.

Businesses trading goods must now comply with:

• Import and export declarations
• Rules of origin documentation
• Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls for agri-food products
• VAT and excise formalities

While tariffs may not apply to qualifying goods, administrative requirements have increased. This has required many UK businesses to adapt supply chains, appoint customs intermediaries and adjust contract terms to reflect new compliance obligations.

Trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland operates under distinct arrangements due to the Windsor Framework, discussed in Section D. This has created a differentiated regulatory position within the UK itself.

3. Services and Financial Services

Services represent a significant part of the UK economy. However, the TCA provides more limited coverage for services than for goods. In particular, the automatic passporting regime that previously allowed UK-based financial services firms to operate across the EU ended at the close of the transition period.

Access to EU markets in financial services now depends largely on unilateral equivalence decisions granted by the European Commission. These decisions are sector-specific and can be withdrawn. As a result, some firms have restructured operations or established EU-based subsidiaries to maintain market access.

Professional qualifications are no longer automatically recognised across the UK and EU. Recognition now depends on domestic rules or specific mutual recognition arrangements negotiated on a sector-by-sector basis.

Section Summary

Brexit ended the UK’s participation in the EU single market and customs union. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides preferential trading terms with zero tariffs and zero quotas on qualifying goods, but customs declarations, regulatory checks and rules of origin now apply. Services face more limited access arrangements, and financial passporting has ended. Trade continues, but within a looser and more administratively complex legal framework than existed before 2021.

Section D: What Is the Windsor Framework and Why Does It Matter?

Brexit created a unique legal and political challenge in relation to Northern Ireland. Because Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state, the UK’s departure from the EU risked the reintroduction of a hard border on the island of Ireland. Avoiding such a border was regarded as essential to protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and maintaining political stability.

The original solution was the Northern Ireland Protocol, contained within the Withdrawal Agreement. However, operational and political concerns led to further negotiations between the UK and the EU. In February 2023, both parties agreed the Windsor Framework, which revised the way the Protocol operates in practice.

1. The Northern Ireland Protocol Background

Under the original Northern Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland remained aligned with certain EU single market rules for goods. This meant that EU customs legislation and product standards continued to apply in Northern Ireland for the purpose of avoiding a hard land border with Ireland.

In practical terms, this resulted in checks on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, even though both are part of the United Kingdom. These checks were designed to protect the integrity of the EU single market, but they generated political controversy and operational complexity within the UK’s internal market.

EU law continues to apply in defined areas relating to goods in Northern Ireland, and the Court of Justice of the European Union retains a limited interpretative role in respect of those areas under the Withdrawal Agreement framework.

2. The Windsor Framework (2023)

The Windsor Framework was agreed in February 2023 to reduce trade friction and provide greater clarity around Northern Ireland’s position. It does not remove Northern Ireland from alignment with certain EU goods rules, but it changes how those rules operate in practice.

Key features include:

• A “green lane” for goods that are staying in Northern Ireland, reducing routine checks and paperwork
• A “red lane” for goods that are moving into the EU single market, subject to full EU customs and regulatory controls
• The “Stormont Brake” mechanism, which allows members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, acting on a cross-community basis, to raise objections to the application of certain new or amended EU goods rules
• Changes to VAT and excise arrangements for specific categories of goods

The Stormont Brake does not automatically disapply EU law. Rather, it triggers a formal process of consultation between the UK and the EU where specified conditions are met. Its purpose is to introduce a degree of democratic oversight within Northern Ireland while preserving international obligations.

3. The Current Legal Position in Northern Ireland

As of 2026, Northern Ireland occupies a distinct regulatory position. It remains part of the UK customs territory but continues to apply certain EU goods rules in order to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.

This means:

• Goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are subject to specific procedures
• EU goods legislation continues to apply in defined areas
• The UK does not operate a fully uniform internal market for goods

The Windsor Framework represents a political and legal compromise. It reflects the continuing constitutional complexity of Brexit and demonstrates that, while the UK has left the EU, elements of EU law continue to operate within the UK in carefully defined contexts.

Section Summary

The Windsor Framework revised the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol to reduce internal UK trade friction while maintaining an open land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland remains aligned with certain EU goods rules, creating a differentiated legal position within the UK. This arrangement remains a central feature of the post-Brexit constitutional settlement.

Section E: How Did Brexit Change UK Law and Regulation?

Brexit did not simply alter immigration and trade arrangements. It also required a fundamental restructuring of the UK’s legal order. For almost five decades, EU law formed part of the domestic legal system through the European Communities Act 1972. EU regulations had direct effect, and EU law enjoyed supremacy over conflicting national legislation.

Leaving the EU required Parliament to determine how to manage the body of EU-derived law embedded in the UK statute book. The solution was to preserve that body of law at the point of exit, then reform it over time.

1. Retained EU Law After 31 December 2020

The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 repealed the European Communities Act 1972 and created the concept of “retained EU law”. At 11pm on 31 December 2020:

• Directly applicable EU regulations were converted into domestic law
• EU-derived domestic legislation remained in force
• Certain rights and principles were preserved in modified form

The purpose of retained EU law was continuity. It prevented legal gaps and ensured that businesses, regulators and courts operated within a stable framework on 1 January 2021.

However, retained EU law no longer enjoyed supremacy over Acts of Parliament passed after exit. Parliamentary sovereignty was restored as a matter of constitutional principle, although retained EU law continued to have interpretative effects in relation to pre-exit situations.

2. The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023

In 2023, Parliament enacted the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023. This legislation modified the status of retained EU law and further reduced its special interpretative position within the UK legal system.

The Act:

• Removed the general principle of supremacy of retained EU law in domestic interpretation
• Ended the principle that retained EU law should automatically prevail over inconsistent domestic legislation
• Provided ministers with powers to revoke, restate or replace retained EU legislation
• Encouraged regulatory reform and potential divergence from EU frameworks

Although an earlier proposal included a broad sunset clause that would have automatically revoked large volumes of retained EU law, the final legislation adopted a more targeted approach. Specific instruments were identified for revocation or reform rather than a blanket repeal.

This Act reinforced the constitutional shift brought about by Brexit. EU-derived legislation now exists within the domestic hierarchy of law without special supremacy, and Parliament retains ultimate legislative authority.

3. Regulatory Divergence and Ongoing Reform

Brexit created the legal capacity for the UK to diverge from EU regulation. However, divergence is a policy choice rather than an automatic consequence of withdrawal.

Since 2021, areas of reform or divergence have included:

• Subsidy control, replacing EU state aid rules with a domestic framework
• Financial services regulation
• Procurement law reform
• Elements of environmental and agricultural policy

In other sectors, regulatory alignment remains close where divergence would create economic friction or reduce market access. The UK therefore operates within a spectrum between autonomy and alignment.

Section Summary

Brexit reshaped the constitutional hierarchy of UK law. The European Communities Act 1972 was repealed, retained EU law was created to ensure continuity and the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 reduced the special status of EU-derived legislation. While the UK now has full legislative autonomy, the extent of regulatory divergence remains a matter of political and economic judgment.

Section F: Travel Rules After Brexit

Brexit ended automatic free movement between the UK and EU. While short-term travel for tourism and certain business purposes remains largely visa-free, the legal framework governing residence, work and longer stays has changed fundamentally.

The key distinction in 2026 is between short visits and long-term residence. The former is generally permitted without a visa for limited periods. The latter now requires formal immigration permission under domestic law.

1. UK Citizens Travelling to the EU

Since 1 January 2021, UK nationals are treated as third-country nationals under EU law. This means UK citizens may travel to the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period without a visa for tourism or certain permitted business activities.

However:

• Stays exceeding 90 days typically require a national visa or residence permit issued by the relevant EU member state
• Passports must meet minimum validity requirements
• Work is not permitted unless authorised under local immigration rules

The automatic right to live, work or study in EU member states ended at the close of the transition period. UK nationals wishing to relocate must now comply with the domestic immigration system of the country concerned.

The European Union is implementing new border systems, including the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the ETIAS travel authorisation scheme. These systems introduce additional pre-travel or entry requirements for visa-exempt third-country nationals, including UK citizens.

2. EU Citizens Travelling to the UK

EU nationals may still visit the UK for short stays without obtaining a visa in advance, provided the visit falls within the standard visitor rules. Permitted activities include tourism, certain business meetings and limited short-term study.

However, EU nationals can no longer enter the UK to live or work without prior immigration permission, unless they hold status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

The UK is introducing an Electronic Travel Authorisation system for visa-exempt nationals. For an overview of the scheme, see UK ETA. Once fully implemented, EU nationals travelling as visitors will require advance digital travel authorisation, although this does not constitute a visa.

3. Long-Term Residence After Brexit

Brexit ended automatic reciprocal residence rights. The position now depends on the individual’s circumstances and timing.

Individuals lawfully resident before 31 December 2020 are protected under the Withdrawal Agreement, subject to registration requirements such as the EU Settlement Scheme in the UK.

New arrivals must comply with domestic immigration systems:

• EU nationals moving to the UK must apply under the Immigration Rules
• UK nationals moving to EU member states must apply under that state’s immigration law

The legal framework is therefore clearer but more restrictive than before Brexit. Long-term residence now requires formal permission rather than treaty-based rights.

Section Summary

Brexit replaced free movement with a system of controlled mobility. Short-term travel between the UK and the EU remains broadly visa-free, but longer stays now require immigration permission under domestic law. Electronic travel authorisation systems are being introduced on both sides. The right to live and work across borders is no longer automatic and must be secured through the relevant legal framework.

Section G: Has Brexit Helped or Harmed the UK?

Assessing whether Brexit has helped or harmed the United Kingdom depends on the criteria applied. Economically, constitutionally and politically, Brexit has produced measurable changes. However, its long-term impact remains debated and continues to evolve.

From a legal perspective, Brexit restored full parliamentary sovereignty and ended the supremacy of EU law in the UK. From an economic perspective, it introduced new trade friction and altered labour mobility. From a political perspective, it reshaped domestic alignments and constitutional debate within the UK.

1. Economic Impact

Economic assessments since 2021 have identified increased customs formalities, regulatory checks and supply chain adjustments following departure from the single market and customs union. Businesses trading with the EU must now comply with third-country procedures, even where tariffs do not apply.

Changes in labour supply have also been linked to the end of free movement, particularly in sectors previously reliant on EU workers. Employers have adapted by increasing use of sponsored work routes under the points-based immigration system.

At the same time, the UK has pursued independent trade agreements and regulatory reform. Supporters of Brexit argue that long-term benefits may arise from regulatory autonomy and global trade diversification, although these remain subject to ongoing evaluation.

2. Sovereignty and Legislative Autonomy

A central argument in favour of Brexit concerned sovereignty. Legally, Brexit ended:

• The supremacy of EU law in the UK
• The jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union in most areas
• The obligation to implement future EU legislation

Through the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and subsequent legislation, Parliament regained authority over the domestic statute book. The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 further reduced the special interpretative status of EU-derived law.

However, sovereignty in practice operates alongside international commitments under the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Legal autonomy exists, but divergence carries economic and diplomatic consequences.

3. Political and Constitutional Consequences

Brexit has had significant domestic political consequences. It led to the resignation of two Prime Ministers and reshaped party politics. It also intensified constitutional debate in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Windsor Framework illustrates the continuing complexity of balancing UK sovereignty with international commitments. Northern Ireland’s differentiated regulatory position demonstrates that Brexit’s constitutional implications extend beyond simple withdrawal from EU institutions.

Section Summary

Brexit delivered constitutional autonomy and ended the supremacy of EU law in the UK. Economically, it introduced new trade friction and regulatory adjustment. Politically, it reshaped domestic alignments and constitutional debate. Its long-term effects remain subject to economic performance, regulatory choices and future UK-EU cooperation.

Section H: FAQs About Brexit in 2026

1. What is Brexit?

Brexit refers to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. The UK formally left the EU on 31 January 2020, with the transition period ending on 31 December 2020.

2. When did Brexit happen?

The referendum took place on 23 June 2016. Article 50 was triggered on 29 March 2017. The UK ceased to be an EU member state at 11pm on 31 January 2020, and EU law ceased to apply automatically at the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020.

3. What changed after Brexit?

Key changes include the end of free movement, introduction of a unified immigration system, departure from the single market and customs union, the creation of retained EU law and the introduction of new customs and regulatory procedures for UK-EU trade.

4. Can EU citizens still work in the UK?

Yes, but they must meet UK immigration requirements unless they hold status under the EU Settlement Scheme. Many work routes require sponsorship by a licensed employer.

5. Can UK citizens live in the EU?

UK nationals may live in EU member states, but they must comply with the immigration rules of the country concerned. Free movement rights no longer apply to new arrivals.

6. What is the Windsor Framework?

The Windsor Framework is the 2023 agreement between the UK and the EU revising the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol. It introduced green and red trade lanes and a Stormont Brake mechanism while maintaining alignment with certain EU goods rules in Northern Ireland.

7. Is Brexit finished?

Brexit as a withdrawal from the EU is complete. However, regulatory reform and UK-EU cooperation continue under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and related frameworks.

8. What is retained EU law?

Retained EU law refers to EU-derived legislation preserved in UK law at the end of the transition period under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and subsequently modified by the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.

Section I: Glossary of Key Brexit Terms

Section J: Useful Links