On 23 June 2016, a majority of the British electorate voted to leave the European Union in a nationwide referendum. In March 2017, the UK sent notification of their intention to leave the EU to the European Council through Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. British citizens will cease to be EU citizens upon the UK's departure from the EU. The UK withdrew from the EU on 31 January 2020, but British citizens retained the right of freedom of movement until the transitional period ended on 31 December 2020.