Britain officially leaves the EU

People spread out across Parliament Square in London clinked champagne glasses and cheered as Big Ben struck 11 pm on New Year’s Eve. It marks Britain’s official exit from the European Union. After a turbulent 11-month transition period, the two sides concluded a trade deal on Christmas Eve that will ensure Britain and the bloc would continue to buy and sell goods without quotas or tariffs.

What changes do we expect? Despite the free trade deal, companies are bracing for new export processes, including border checks and customs declarations. Over the weekend, British Airways and Iberia refused British citizens with permanent residency documents for Spain to board for up to two days. Travelers to Italy, Pisa, and Berlin reported similar delays in boarding Ryanair and Lufthansa with previously accepted travel documents for Italy and Germany.

Dig deeper: Read my World Tour report on the religious roots of the conflict over Brexit.