UK’s No-Deal Brexit Papers: The First Instalment
On 23 August 2018, the UK Government published 25 (of an expected 80) papers advising on some of the implications of a no-deal Brexit. The UK papers are useful – to a point – but they are not as helpful for business as the European Commission's on-going "Notice to Stakeholders".
Businesses should read the UK papers as well as the EU ones to get some idea of what might happen in the event of "No Deal" or a "Skinny Deal". The EU papers are available here and we have grouped the UK papers into batches below for convenience.
It is important to read the UK's papers but they are somewhat disappointing. They are both too narrow in focus and light in detail (e.g. there is nothing on food in general yet there is one prepared on organic food).
The second instalment is due in September 2018.
The papers are premised on a hope that: "a 'no-deal' scenario…remains unlikely given the mutual interests of the UK and the EU in securing a negotiated outcome". If the Brexit negotiations have taught us anything it is: (i) that the UK (c.65 million people) has a greater interest in doing a deal with the R-27 EU Member States (c.450 million people), and (ii) the EU has remained steadfast while the UK has conceded on many issues.
Therefore, as an insurance policy it would be time better spent for executives to read what might happen on the last Friday night in March 2019 or New Year's Eve 2020.
Business and Trade Generally
- UK government's preparations for a no deal scenario
- Trading with the EU if there's no Brexit deal
- Trade remedies if there's no Brexit deal
- Classifying your goods in the UK Trade Tariff if there's no Brexit deal
- Exporting controlled goods if there's no Brexit deal
Employment
Taxation (specifically, VAT)
Finance, Banking & Insurance
Marketing
- Labelling tobacco products and e-cigarettes if there’s no Brexit deal
- Developing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) if there’s no Brexit deal
- Producing and processing organic food if there's no Brexit deal
EU Funding
- The government’s guarantee for EU-funded programmes if there’s no Brexit deal
- Horizon 2020 funding if there's no Brexit deal
- Delivering humanitarian aid programmes if there’s no Brexit deal
State Aid
Food & Agriculture
- Producing and processing organic food if there's no Brexit deal
- Developing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) if there’s no Brexit deal
- Farm payments if there’s no Brexit deal
- Receiving rural development funding if there’s no Brexit deal
Pharma and Medicines
- Batch testing medicines if there's no Brexit deal
- Ensuring blood and blood products are safe if there’s no Brexit deal
- How medicines, medical devices and clinical trials would be regulated if there’s no Brexit deal
- Submitting regulatory information on medical products if there’s no Brexit deal
- Quality and safety of organs, tissues and cells if there’s no Brexit deal
Research
Education
For further information, contact Dr Vincent Power, Partner, or any member of the EU, Competition & Procurement team at A&L Goodbody.
Date published: 24 August 2018