News and Views

Welcome to the Brexit Bulletin – providing an update on recent developments relevant to councils.

Food Labelling Changes

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), acting in collaboration with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, has issued detailed information on food labelling changes that will be required if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. This was released via the FSA’s Smarter Communications platform on Monday, 14 October and is intended for local authority regulatory officers who enforce food standards.

It includes details of a 21-month transition period for labelling changes in the UK market, which recognises that industry may otherwise find it difficult and costly to manage the scale of labelling changes required. In some cases these transition periods will be set in statute. However, where statutory transition periods are not possible, enforcement officials are being encouraged to take a pragmatic approach in cases where food labelling is found to be non-compliant.

The information concerns food labelling enforcement in the UK. The UK does not control how food labelling changes will be enforced outside the UK. In a No Deal situation the EU and other non-EU countries may require that food labelling changes are made from Day One.

Guidance and Information

• The Department for Transport and Highways England have published guidance on Operation Brock, which is a system to reduce traffic disruption to the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.
  Details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/operation-brock-kent-traffic-management-on-m20-to-dover-and-eurotunnel
• The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has published guidance for UK nationals living in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or Ireland about preparing for Brexit if there’s no deal.
  Details: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-the-eu-prepare-for-brexit
• The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has updated their flowcharts for import and export processes after Brexit.
  Details: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/flowcharts-for-import-and-export-processes-after-brexit
• The Intellectual Property Office has published guidance on trade marks, designs, patents right law, and exhaustion of IP rights after Brexit.
  Details: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/intellectual-property-and-brexit
• The third phase of the public information campaign ‘Get ready for Brexit’ began last week. Further information on the campaign can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/get-ready-for-brexit-campaign-moves-into-new-phase

HM Revenue & Customs has issued updated guidance on the following:

• Exporting and importing excise goods to/from the EU in a no deal Brexit.
  Details: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exporting-excise-goods-to-the-eu-in-a-no-deal-brexit & https://www.gov.uk/guidance/importing-excise-goods-from-the-eu-in-a-no-deal-brexit
• Exporting using the Common Transit Convention to their traders guidance.
  Details: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-and-support-for-traders-if-the-uk-leaves-the-eu-with-no-deal
• Bringing goods to the UK from the EU through roll-on/roll-off ports.
  Details: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-goods-to-and-from-the-eu-through-roll-on-roll-off-locations-including-eurotunnel
• Letter to EU-only traders about auto-enrolment to Transitional Simplified Procedures – October 2019.
  Details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-deal-brexit-advice-for-businesses-only-trading-with-the-eu

Updates

• The UK has secured approval to continue exporting animals and animal products to the EU if we leave without a deal on 31 October. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-secures-listed-status-to-protect-5-billion-export-market
• Government’s business readiness fund has approved £10.1 million in grants to 124 business organisations. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/governments-business-readiness-fund-approves-101-million-in-grants-to-124-business-organisations
• HM Revenue & Customs has accelerated 95,000 firms onto simplified import procedures. Transitional Simplified Procedures will make importing after Brexit on 31 October much simpler, particularly for businesses that would be completing customs processes for the first time. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hmrc-accelerates-95000-firms-onto-simplified-import-procedures
• Home Secretary Priti Patel announced on 9 October 2019 that there have been two million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/two-million-applications-to-the-eu-settlement-scheme
• As you may already be aware, the Government updated the Technical Notice on the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) funding in a ‘no deal’ scenario in September. This guidance provides an update for UK project partners in ETC programmes in the case of a no-deal Brexit and steps they can take to prepare. For further information please see European Territorial Cooperation funding in a ‘no deal’ Brexit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-territorial-cooperation-funding-if-theres-no-brexit-deal/european-territorial-cooperation-funding-if-theres-no-brexit-deal

Events

Home Office EUSS Teleconferences

The Home Office is running a series of teleconferences for front line staff who support Looked After Children and care leavers to provide further information about the EU Settlement Scheme. They will take place on the following dates:

• 22 October 2019 – 1200-1300
• 19 November 2019 – 1200-1300
• 18 December 2019 – 1200-1300
• 21 January 2020 – 1200-1300
• 18 February 2020 – 1200-1300
• 24 March 2020 – 1200-1300

Please email Feedback-EUSSsupportmodel@homeoffice.gov.uk to book a place.

Business Events

BEIS Business Readiness Events

During October, the Government will be holding a series of ‘Get ready for Brexit’ business readiness events across the country to give businesses help and advice on how to prepare for Brexit.

These free events will be visiting all parts of the country, allowing businesses to meet government advisers to discuss what they need to do to prepare for Brexit, understand what’s changing in their industry, and for information on specific rules and regulations.

Please find further information here: https://registration.livegroup.co.uk/brexitbusinessreadinessevents/?utm_campaign=brexit-business-readiness-2019

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have extended the application deadline for their Brexit business readiness fund. Details: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brexit-readiness-fund-extended-to-help-businesses-to-prepare

Brexit Preparedness Workshops

The Department for International Trade are running a series of events to help exporters get ready for Brexit.

Please find further information here: https://www.events.great.gov.uk/ehome/index.php?eventid=200194661&

‘Get ready for Brexit’ Webinars

HMRC are running webinars that will provide an overview of what UK businesses need to do to keep importing and exporting goods between the UK and EU.

Please find further information here:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/6556129852233668609?source=Sep-HMRC-Comms-GOV