By letter of 20 March 2019, the United Kingdom submitted a request for an extension of the period provided for in Article 50(3) TEU until 30 June 2019, with a view to finalising the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement. On 21 March 2019, the European Council announced that it had agreed to an extension on the United Kingdom (UK) withdrawing from the EU until 22 May 2019, provided the Withdrawal Agreement is approved by the House of Commons by 29 March 2019 at the latest. If the Withdrawal Agreement is not approved by the House of Commons by 29 March 2019 at the latest, the European Council agrees to an extension until 12 April 2019 and expects the United Kingdom to indicate a way forward before this date for consideration by the European Council. The European Council reiterated that there can be no opening of the Withdrawal Agreement that was agreed between the EU and the United Kingdom in November 2018. Any unilateral commitment, statement or other act should be compatible with the letter and the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement. European Council Decision (EU) 2019/476 setting forth the terms of the extension was published in the Official Journal on 22 March 2019.