Brexit: despatches from the downside – No 24
01/03/2024
In this week's Brexit downsides, extra food labelling costing up to £250mn, a huge drop in overseas students, veterinary shortages in NI, and more.
Electric vehicles moving between the UK and the EU face a 10 per cent tariff once a grace period expires in 2027.
Brexit friction is hurting firms – Sunak must ‘strengthen EU relations’, top business body warns
16/02/2024
Businesses have still not adapted to the impact of Brexit and the government must “strengthen relations with the EU” to relieve the strain on firms, the UK’s top business body has told the government.
Post-Brexit controls on food, plant and animal imports to Britain from the EU have come into force.
Negotiations between the UK and Canada on a post-Brexit trade deal have broken down after nearly two years, following a row over beef and cheese. / Canada has been pushing for the UK to relax a ban on hormone-treated beef, which its producers say in effect shuts them out of the British market.
Many UK cheese makers could face 245% duty from 1 January, making exporting unaffordable. / A priceless opportunity to sell “more affordable high-quality cheese to Canada” was one of those many Brexit boons that Boris Johnson championed with his customary blather as prime minister.
A new survey by the British Chamber of Commerce's Insights Unit of 733 businesses (97% SMEs) shows the difficulties facing British firms in using the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) have not eased.
60% of UK exporters say selling to EU has become harder over past year – with more red tape to come.
Though Johnson promised ‘no non-tariff barriers’, firms say they are struggling under ‘compliance burden’ of customs and safety checks.
More than three quarters of British companies have reported that the trade agreement between the European Union and Britain has made it difficult for them to increase sales and grow their business, a British Chambers of Commerce survey showed. / "Brexit has been the biggest ever imposition of bureaucracy on business."
‘Covid is not the problem – Brexit is the problem’, says British Beauty Council boss on sales slump.
Manufacturers warn of ‘devastating price war’ on consumers if tariffs are enforced in 2024.
Brexit: three in five export businesses see no positive effect of free-trade deals, government research finds
16/08/2023
The ability to sign free trade deals independently was touted as one of the main positives with Brexit, however agreements with Australia and New Zealand have been predicted to have limited economic impact.
Survey of exporters shows increased pessimism about benefits of post-Brexit trade deals. / British firms are increasingly pessimistic about the benefits of post-Brexit free trade deals, according to the government’s own research.
Adoption of Britain-only rival to EU’s CE designation postponed ‘indefinitely’, say ministers.
Despite claims over taking back control, UK is forced to comply with rules on which it has no say.
CE symbol due to stay after government U-turn.
The U.K. government backs down amid pressure from concerned firms. / British businesses will be allowed to continue to use the European Union's safety mark indefinitely, the U.K. government announced Tuesday — in a climbdown from previous post-Brexit plans.
Britain on Tuesday said it would retain the European 'CE' safety mark for products indefinitely rather than scrap it following the country's departure from the European Union, in a move welcomed by businesses as a pragmatic step.
From NHS staff shortages to export woes, the effects of the 2016 vote are still being felt.
UK manufacturers could be hit with 10% tariffs from next year unless they can source electric vehicle parts and batteries locally.
THE SCOTTISH Government has welcomed No 10's decision to ditch its planned Brexit “bonfire" of EU laws.
Britain’s bonfire of European Union laws has been reduced to embers.
The government has announced a major climbdown over its Brexit plans to remove EU laws from British statue books by the end of the year.
The men behind Trussonomics and Brexit, the two great man-made catastrophes of recent years, are to be honoured for their ‘great work’.