Brexit round-up – 30/11/18
30th November, 2018
Welcome to this, our latest Brexit round-up. Each week we provide a succinct round-up of the latest news surrounding the Brexit process, so you can keep abreast of the issues which are likely to affect your organisation.
Prime Minister embarks on tour of UK
Prime Minister Theresa May commenced a tour around the nations of the UK on 26 November 2018, visiting Wales and Northern Ireland with the aim to get the public’s and business’ backing for the draft Withdrawal Agreement. Responsibility for more than 150 areas of policy will pass to the devolved parliaments, meaning they will be taking more of the decisions that impact people’s lives in areas such as agriculture and fisheries, to air quality and organ. Mrs May visited Scotland where she insisted that the deal will protect jobs and provide new opportunities for exporters.
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EU27 leaders endorse Withdrawal Agreement
On 25 November 2018, at a special meeting of the European Council, EU27 leaders endorsed the draft Withdrawal Agreement which sets out the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU and invited the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to take the necessary steps to ensure that the agreement can enter into force on 30 March 2019. The leaders also approved the draft political declaration on the framework for the future relationship. There was no formal vote at the meeting, with the EU proceeding by consensus. However, European Council President Donald Tusk said it was a “sad day” and no-one should be “raising champagne glasses” at the prospect of the UK leaving.
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Government lays key Brexit documents before Parliament
On 26 November, the UK Government laid before Parliament the following documents, as required under section 13(1)(a) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018: (1) a statement that political agreement has been reached; (2) a copy of the negotiated Withdrawal Agreement; and (3) a copy of the framework for the future relationship (political declaration). These documents have been presented to Parliament at the earliest opportunity in order to facilitate the fullest scrutiny ahead of the parliamentary debate and vote on the approval of these documents. The vote on the Brexit deal in the House of Commons is expected to happen on 11 December 2018.
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Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) warns of stockpiling concerns
The Chief Executive of the FDF Ian Wright, has warned that warehouses around the UK for frozen and chilled food are “for all practical purposes booked out at the moment,” adding that firms will be unlikely to find space if they are looking for somewhere to store extra supplies of fresh food in the run-up to Brexit in March 2019. However, Mr Wright said there was still availability for food that can be safely stored at room temperature in a sealed container – but not necessarily where it would be needed on companies’ supply journeys. In relation to the Draft Withdrawal Agreement, he said: “The political declaration is excellent, but it is a list of new year’s resolutions. We don’t know if what we see now will remain intact.”
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Government publishes papers on economic and security impact of Brexit deal
On 28 November 2018, the Government published a collection of documents in advance of the House of Commons vote on the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement and draft political declaration. These documents include assessments of the potential impact of Brexit on the UK economy and on the UK-EU security partnership. The Government notes that the UK has put forward proposals for the future relationship that would enable frictionless trade outside the customs union and single market, which is not accepted by everyone in the EU, but adds that the UK can continue to negotiate for that objective.
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We have created a Brexit checklist to assist businesses with the various challenges and opportunities presented by Brexit. Please click here to view.
If you have any questions about any of the issues which are raised, or would like to discuss your own organisation’s options in the lead-up to Brexit, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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