LONDON: A new era began for the United Kingdom after it completed its formal separation from the European Union (EU) today, BBC has reported.

According to the report, the UK stopped following EU rules at 23:00 GMT.

Replacement arrangements for trade, travel, immigration and security co-operation have come into force form today.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK had “freedom in our hands” and the ability to do things “differently and better” now the long Brexit process was over, BBC said.

Likewise, French President Emmanuel Macron said the UK remained a “friend and ally”.

The United Kingdom officially left the 27-member bloc on 31 January – three-and-a-half years after the UK public voted to leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

(With inputs from BBC)