UK: What will happen on March 29?

LONDON: The United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on March 29 to become the first member to leave the bloc which it joined four decades ago.

The deadline, however, could be extended given the complexity of the process.

The UK’s departure from EU, a political and economic union of 28 countries which trade with each other and allow citizens to move easily between the member countries to live and work, is due to take place at 11:00 pm in London.

The divorce is happening after Leave side won a referendum in 2016 by nearly 52 percent while people who wanted to remain in the European Union secured 48 percent votes.

Although Britain gave its decision in 2016, it has yet to finalize the withdrawal agreement as negotiations between the UK and EU continue.

Nothing is expected to change till the end of December 2010 because the transition period agreed between the EU and UK allows both the parties to give business the time to adjust.

So far discussions are taking place on how much money Britain will pay to European Union, what will happen to UK living in EU, and EU citizens living in UK and how to avoid return of a physical border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which will become the border between the UK and EU after Britain’s departure from the bloc.

British Prime Minister Theresa May’s efforts to secure a deal, which has also to be agreed, by British MPs have failed so far.