It was in a particularly emotionally charged climate, both negative and positive, punctuated by tears and the Scottish song 'Auld Lang Syne' ('It's only goodbye') that MEPs gave the final green light to the UK's exit from the EU on the evening of Wednesday 29 January in Brussels.
Called upon to ratify the withdrawal agreement that will allow the country’s orderly exit on 31 January at midnight, they voted overwhelmingly in favour of the agreement by 621 votes to 49, with 13 abstentions.
Some British MPs voted against, convinced that the country is making a "historic mistake", as many MPs said in the debate preceding the vote. Labour and Greens/EFA MEPs had thus planned to reject this text, showing their rejection of Brexit.
For once, Nigel Farage's Brexit Party offered a positive vote. For Nigel Farage, the last day of voting with his European colleagues looked like a day of celebration. "We will never come back", the British MP said, happily brandishing the Union Jack.
But it was sadness that dominated among British MPs. After a series of events organised in recent days (see EUROPE 12414/2 and 12414/3), these departing elected representatives spoke for one of the last times in plenary.
MEP Molly Scott Cato (Greens/EFA) was given a standing ovation when she said she was convinced that she would "one day" return to the European Parliament.
If it is not yet time to "launch a campaign to re-join the EU", the fight must be launched to "counter the whole story" that was done across the Channel to feed Brexit and which consisted of "blaming the EU".
Richard Corbett MEP, a Labour MEP who has been in the Parliament for several terms, said he regretted that Boris Johnson did not consult with British voters again in a referendum. His colleague, Lib Dem Martin Horwood (Renew Europe) assured in several EU languages: "we will be back".
Some elected officials also paid tribute to Labour MP Jo Cox, who was killed during her pro-Remain campaign in June 2016.
Following the vote, Parliamentary President David Sassoli formally signed the withdrawal agreement and was then to formalise this ratification in a letter to the EU Council. He reiterated parliamentarians' "gratitude" to the British elected representatives who, over the decades, "have enriched our institution". "We will miss you", he added.
Earlier, it was the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who took up the words of the British poet George Eliot : "It is only in the agony of pain that we examine the depths of Europe. We will always love you and we will never be far away", she said.
For Michel Barnier, the chief negotiator in future negotiations, "we will always regret" this vote of 23 June 2016. However, for both officials, another page opens. The President hopes that "the UK and the EU remain good friends", as they will face many common challenges, such as "climate change".
But reality quickly caught up with the debate and Mrs von der Leyen recalled that the UK could only have generous access to the single market if it wanted to move closer to European standards. In particular, she warned London against "exposing our businesses to unfair competition".
For Manfred Weber, leader of the EPP group, now "we must not allow the EU to be put under pressure to sign an agreement in a hurry"; there will be "no Europe à la carte", he said.
Many elected representatives also called on the EU to learn the lessons of this departure and to find a positive contribution for its citizens.
If "you think it will be the weakening of Europe, you are wrong", said Nathalie Loiseau for the Renew Europe group. Spain's Iratxe García Pérez (S&D) said it was important to continue developing the EU, which is "much more than a market", as it is "an area of law and social progress". (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)