Wanderlust

Tag: foreign policy

  • Brexit: Cabinet ‘ramps up’ no-deal planning

    Theresa May Image copyright EPA

    The cabinet has decided to “ramp up” preparations for a no-deal Brexit amid uncertainty over the fate of Theresa May’s proposed EU exit deal.

    It allocated to ministries £2bn set aside in case the UK leaves on 29 March without MPs having accepted any deal.

    Letters will be sent to 140,000 firms updating them on what they should do while 3,500 troops will be put on standby to help government departments.

    Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said it amounted to “psychological warfare”.

    With 101 days left until Brexit and many MPs still opposed to the government’s withdrawal agreement, which MPs will vote on in mid-January, ministers met for a longer-than-normal two and a half hour meeting.

    Parliament Live: Rolling updates Brexit: A really simple guide

    They agreed that businesses should activate their own no deal contingency plans, as they think appropriate.

    Updated Revenue and Customs information packs will be sent to firms later this week, setting out what changes could be needed at the border.

    Consumers are being advised to familiarise themselves with advice published this summer, in areas ranging from booking flights to using credit cards, with more details promised in the coming weeks.

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    The Treasury said £480m of the £2bn of preparation funding would go to the Home Office, helping it to employ more Border Force officers and boost national security.

    Defra would receive £410m, allowing it to focus on ensuring the trade in fish, food products and chemicals remains uninterrupted.

    HMRC, which is being allocated £375m, plans to hire more than 3,000 new staff to handle increases in customs activities, as well as investing in new technology at borders.

    The next largest allocations will be £190m for the Department for Business and £128m for the Department for International Trade.

    Separately, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has told MPs that 3,500 military personnel, including logisticians and engineers as well as infantry units, were ready to be deployed if needed.

    About 10% of the force would be reservists who will receive their call up papers in the middle of January so that if needed they would be ready in March.

    In other developments:

    Theresa May is now thought to be in favour of giving MPs a vote on alternatives to her plans when they debate her Brexit deal The government’s target of reducing net migration to less than 100,000 a year has been left out of draft proposals for a new immigration system A Labour motion of no confidence in Theresa May will not be tabled until January The Daily Telegraph published a letter by 53 business leaders, including ex-Sainsbury’s boss Justin King and Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis, have called on the PM to “take her deal to the British people”.

    Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the cabinet had agreed that “preparing for a no deal will be an operational priority within government but our overall priority is to secure a deal”.

    Media playback is unsupported on your device

    Media captionJames Brokenshire tells Today the government has been preparing for a no deal “for some time”

    He said no-deal planning “needs to be much more of a priority for businesses” and there would be a “significant increase” in the guidance issued to them over the next 14 weeks, as Brexit day approaches.

    E-mails will be sent out to 80,000 of those businesses most like to be affected over the next few days.

    In the autumn of 2017, The Treasury earmarked £3bn for no-deal planning between 2018 and 2020.

    In March, Chancellor Philip Hammond said half of that had been allocated to 20 government departments, with the Home Office, transport, the environment and business among the largest recipients.

    At Tuesday’s cabinet meeting ministers approved the second tranche – plus an under-spend from the current year – to go to departments for the 2019/20 year, with the priority areas being borders, security and international trade.

    Health Secretary Matt Hancock has already ordered full “no deal” planning across the National Health Service, he told the BBC’s Newsnight on Monday.

    But Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit negotiator, criticised UK ministers, who he said were “glorifying” the prospect of leaving without a comprehensive deal in the hope individual agreements could be reached in areas like transport and livestock movements.

    Skip Twitter post by @guyverhofstadt

    Those, like Jeremy Hunt, who glorify a no–deal #Brexit are totally irresponsible. It is not the job of politicians to make the people they lead poorer, remove opportunities, rights & make lives more uncertain. There is no such thing as a “managed no deal”. https://t.co/f1sPT4R2KS

    — Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) December 18, 2018

    Report

    End of Twitter post by @guyverhofstadt

    And Labour said a no-deal exit was “not viable” and it would work with other parties to stop it.

    “It is testament to the prime minister’s failure in these negotiations that the government is now spending billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to prepare for a no-deal Brexit that is rejected by Parliament and many of those sat around the Cabinet table,” said shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman.

    And the Lib Dems, who are campaigning for another referendum, said the government was “attempting to scare” MPs, businesses and the public with the threat of a no-deal.

    “Theresa May is irresponsibly trying to run down the clock so that the only option is to support her discredited deal,” Sir Vince Cable said.

    Media playback is unsupported on your device

    Media captionJeremy Corbyn wants MPs to get a Brexit deal vote before Christmas

    MPs will vote on the prime minister’s Brexit deal, which sets out the terms of Britain’s exit from the EU and includes a declaration on the outline of the future relations, in the middle of January.

    The deal will only come into force if both the UK and European parliaments approve it.

    The BBC understands Mrs May is planning to use the Commons vote as a “moment of reckoning” for the Brexit process.

    Sources have told the BBC that Downing Street will not stand in the way of MPs who seek to amend the government’s motion on the Brexit deal to put forward potential alternatives.

    The prime minister was previously thought to be against this idea.

    Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn is under pressure to push for a further vote of no-confidence in the government as a whole.

    On Monday night, the Labour leader tabled a motion calling on MPs to declare they have no confidence in the prime minister because she failed to have a vote on her Brexit deal straight away.

    Reality Check: What is the government spending on Brexit preparations? Kuenssberg: Parliamentary shenanigans Q&A: The backstop Brexit: What could happen next?

    No 10 has refused to make time for the motion and Commons Speaker John Bercow confirmed on Tuesday that there were under no obligation to do so.

    Other parties – the SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the Greens – have called on Mr Corbyn to push for a no-confidence vote against the government as a whole.

    Unlike a vote aimed at the prime minister, the government would have to allow a vote on this motion and, if successful, it could force a general election.

    Media playback is unsupported on your device

    Media captionCould there be a second Brexit vote?

    Northern Ireland’s DUP, whose votes the Conservative government has relied on in big votes since the June 2017 election, said they would not support Labour.

    Mrs May also appeared to have the support of pro-Brexit backbench critics who last week failed in a bid to oust her as Tory leader.

    One of them, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said he would never vote against Mrs May or a Conservative government. He said on Tuesday evening that he had a “civilised and courteous” meeting with the PM, and that the government was “prudent” to engage in no-deal planning.

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  • Brexit: EU says no to May on renegotiating deal

    Jean-Claude Juncker with Theresa May Symbol copyright AFP

    Eu Union leaders have stated the Brexit withdrawal agreement is “no longer open for renegotiation”, in spite of appeals from Theresa May.

    She wanted prison assurances on the Irish backstop to help her deal get thru Parliament, after she delayed a Commons vote in anticipation of defeat.

    The PM said the deal was once “at risk” if MPs’ issues could not be addressed.

    Ecu Fee president Jean-Claude Juncker stated there may well be clarifications however no renegotiation.

    He advised the united kingdom to set out extra obviously what it wants, adding that the fee will put up information on 19 December on its arrangements for a no-deal Brexit.

    If this meeting in Brussels was once meant to provide Theresa Might with the beginnings of an get away direction from her Brexit conundrum, the signs are not just right.

    At certainly one of her such a lot prone political moments Number 10 was once hopeful no less than of a sign of a possible option to probably the most severe of a protracted list of Brexit issues – the debatable so-known as backstop designed to guarantee against a troublesome Irish border.

    But presently, that’s merely not on offer.

    EU leaders made undeniable – their warnings that their divorce handle Britain was once now not up for negotiation have been real.

    Requests for modification to ease the Westminster politics weren’t fulfilled, with key phrases from a extra accommodating draft passed by midnight.

    But the rejection provides succour in all probability to those in govt who want their critics to just accept that the high minister’s deal is also in reality, pretty much as good because it will get.

    In comments released by Downing Street on Thursday, Mrs May instructed ECU leaders she firmly believed the deal could get throughout the Commons and advised them: “Let’s interact intensively to get this deal over the road within the best possible pursuits of all our other folks.”

    and he or she mentioned it was in everyone’s pursuits for the deal to be “delivered in an orderly means and to get it done now” instead of “to run the chance of an unintentional ‘no deal’ with all of the disruption that will carry or to allow this to tug on any further”.

    “There May Be a majority in my Parliament who wish to leave with a deal so with the fitting assurances this deal may also be handed. Indeed it is the one deal capable of getting via my Parliament,” she mentioned.

    “Over the last years, i hope that i have proven you that you can agree with me to do what’s right, now not all the time what’s simple, on the other hand that tricky that would be for me politically.”

    Image caption Mrs May informed ECU leaders she firmly believed the deal may get throughout the Commons

    Mr Juncker urged the uk to inform the ecu what it desires in the long run courting.

    “Our UK pals wish to say what they want, instead of asking us to mention what we wish and so we’d like inside of a couple of weeks our UK pals to set out their expectancies for us, as a result of this debate is sometimes nebulous and imprecise and i would really like clarifications,” he stated.

    The Eu Council’s conclusions on Brexit – printed on Thursday evening – say the ecu could use its “best possible endeavours to negotiate and finish expeditiously a subsequent settlement that might replace the backstop, and may expect the similar of the United Kingdom, so that the backstop could handiest be in position for as lengthy as strictly necessary.”

    In different words, the ecu may continue trying to barter a trade take care of the uk even supposing the Irish backstop were prompted on the finish of the transition period.

    The Brexit withdrawal agreement handiest talks about “absolute best endeavours” being used to succeed in an agreement throughout the transition period.

    Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who holds the rotating EU presidency, prompt there might be a distinct Brexit summit in January to agree “further assurances”.

    But Irish most efficient Leo Varadkar mentioned that while EUROPEAN was once prepared to be “helpful”, a few of the suggestions she had put forward were “tough” and warned there might be no “unilateral go out clause” on the backstop.

    Downing Street has confirmed that MPs won’t now vote on Mrs Might’s deal prior to Christmas and mentioned the vote might occur “as quickly as conceivable in January”.

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  • Ukraine-Russia sea clash: Are Ukrainians worried?

    Video Ukrainians on Russia invasion fears

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  • Ukraine-Russia sea clash: Are Ukrainians involved?

    Video Do Ukrainians concern invasion?

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  • Ukraine-Russia sea conflict: Are Ukrainians concerned?

    Video Are Ukrainians concerned Russia may invade?

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  • ECU leaders agree Brexit deal

    May Image copyright Reuters Symbol caption Prime Minister Theresa Would Possibly arrives in Brussels with Britain’s Permanent Consultant to the ecu Tim Barrow

    The United Kingdom ’s withdrawal agreement from the european Union has been authorized by means of EU leaders, its chief legit Donald Tusk has announced.

    The 27 leaders gave it their backing after lower than an hour’s dialogue in Brussels.

    Mr Tusk signalled on Saturday that the deal can be licensed after Spain withdrew final-minute concerns over Gibraltar.

    The deal needs to be licensed by the united kingdom Parliament, with many MPs hostile.

    Mr Tusk, the president of the ecu Council, broke the inside track on Twitter.

    Skip Twitter publish via @eucopresident

    EU27 has endorsed the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Assertion on the future ECU-UNITED KINGDOM members of the family.

    — Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) November 25, 2018

    Document

    Finish of Twitter post through @eucopresident

    It follows greater than 18 months of negotiations among the 2 sides, which started whilst the united kingdom brought about Article 50 in the wake of the 2016 referendum go away vote.

    The United Kingdom is scheduled to depart the european on 29 March 2019.

    Live: Reaction as ECU leaders approve Brexit deal Brexit: A Really simple guide What happens if MPs reject Brexit deal?

    The United Kingdom Parliament is anticipated to vote at the deal in early December but its approval is through no method assured, with Labour, the Lib Dems, the SNP, the DUP and plenty of Conservatives MPs set to vote against.

    Top Minister Theresa Might has appealed to the general public to get at the back of the settlement, arguing it is the most productive deal she will have struck and honours the outcome of the Brexit referendum.

    the european leaders have approved the two key Brexit documents:

    the ecu withdrawal settlement: a 585-web page, legally binding report taking off the terms of the uk’s exit from the european. It covers the uk’s £39bn “divorce bill”, citizens’ rights and the Northern Eire “backstop” – a way to keep the border with the Republic of eire open, if trade talks stall.The political assertion, which sets out what the united kingdom and ECU’s dating is also like after Brexit – outlining how things like UK-EU business and security will work.

    There was once no formal vote on Sunday, with the ecu proceeding by consensus.

    Before the meeting, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker stated the uk’s departure was once a “tragedy” for the ecu however Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar stated the deal allowed for an “orderly withdrawal”.

  • Brexit: What Is in the political announcement?

    Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker Symbol copyright Getty Photographs

    The draft political assertion on the long run relationship among the european and the united kingdom, after Brexit, is out. Theresa Might describes it because the proper deal for the uk.

    A few points to keep in mind…

    this is not a legally binding document.

    It’s not very long both, nevertheless it has grown from last week’s seven-page define to 26 pages. It sits alongside the 585-page Draft Withdrawal Agreement (as a way to be legally binding if it will get ratified).

    this is additionally a draft, agreed via negotiators, but it still needs to be authorized by the leaders of all 28 ECU international locations at a summit scheduled to take place on Sunday. Do Not expect leading adjustments.

    A reminder that this really is ready everything, not just about trade: the entire scope of the long run relationship among the uk and its nearest neighbours.

    each side want that relationship to be as close and co-operative as conceivable but that aspiration might be tested in the years ahead.

    Again, it’s worth emphasising that this is not a legally binding file, so there aren’t any promises about what the submit-Brexit global will look like.

    And no-you can say for certain how lengthy it will all take to barter.

    Bottom lines

    the ground line of each parties is integrated early on.

    Anything that is negotiated have to be consistent with the eu’s 4 freedoms – the unfastened motion of products, products and services, capital and those.

    And nothing shall be agreed that threatens the sovereignty of the United Kingdom.

    As we have seen for months now, the problem of the Irish border is the place the combination of these center concepts turns into such a lot complicated.

    Industry in items

    So industry in goods must be “as shut as conceivable”, but that’s not the same as being frictionless.

    It leaves so much of wiggle room in negotiations, without a ensure of the overall consequence.

    the two aspects are committing themselves to an “ambitious, huge-ranging and balanced” economic partnership, based on a complete loose business agreement.

    However there could also be repeated emphasis that there need to be a degree enjoying box, which ensures open and fair festival.

    The more financial rights you keep, the european is reminding the united kingdom, the more responsibilities to which you must sign up.

    Customs

    While the outline of this draft emerged ultimate week, this was a perception that raised alarm bells for lots of supporters of Brexit.

    Dominic Raab discussed it in his resignation remark. Their concern, with the intention to now not be dispelled by this draft text, is that temporary customs preparations may simply grow to be a few type of permanent customs union, preventing the uk from doing its own industry offers on goods across the international.

    the federal government denies this, and argues that there’s not anything incorrect in in need of formidable customs preparations in the long run, together with the need to circumvent checks on what are referred to as “laws of origin”.

    The declaration additionally mentions explicitly an “independent business coverage” for the united kingdom in the longer term.

    Irish border

    we’re, this emphasises, open to any answer so we can avoid the proposed backstop resolution, to keep the Irish border open.

    that comes with technological and other solutions that critics of the Brexit negotiations say have been not noted for too lengthy.

    the difficulty is that technological solutions that avoid the need for any border infrastructure don’t seem to be in operation anyplace within the world.

    Regulations

    UK officials see this as a key sentence, which suggests there is plenty of room for manoeuvre in the negotiations to return.

    It makes clear, they argue, that it isn’t the case that the united kingdom can handiest have both a basic unfastened industry agreement (like Canada) or membership of the single marketplace (like Norway), with not anything in-between.

    But none of the language right here commits the ecu to anything explicit.

    Trade in products and services

    As anticipated, the law of monetary services and products will likely be in line with a machine of “equivalence” and the purpose is to negotiate the details in this key sector before the top of June 2020.

    There May Be nothing within the language here to suggest that the united kingdom will get higher phrases than every other 3rd u . s . a . dealing with the ecu – however that can be a key negotiating intention.

    There also are a lot of aspirational phrases on “bold and comprehensive” plans for the carrier sector basically, but there’s an awful lot to negotiate.

    Digital commerce

    There are numerous nods against the way in which the world financial system is changing, and the importance of complete agreements on knowledge.

    the uk hopes that in the negotiations to return, it will probably be well positioned to make the most of new technologies and the digital economic system.

    But the eu has already made it transparent that the uk can not be expecting to have the similar get entry to to all EUROPEAN databases – in more than a few financial and security spaces – because it could have as an european member state.

    Freedom of movement

    This fulfils the High Minister’s pledge that the united kingdom will take back regulate of its borders and unfastened movement of ECU voters to the united kingdom will come to an finish. however it approach, of course, that unfastened movement for UNITED KINGDOM electorate travelling to the ecu may also stop.

    The record says each side want to preserve visa-unfastened commute for short-time period visits (do not fret about your vacations) but it shows by means of implication that visas might be offered for longer stays.

    Fishing rights

    there may be neutral language right here, including the “best endeavours” theory that commits both sides to doing the whole thing they can to succeed in a deal.

    But that disguises the truth that there are nonetheless deep disagreements on fishing, and on getting the correct stability between get entry to for UNITED KINGDOM produce to EU markets, and get admission to for EUROPEAN boats to UK fishing waters.

    Be Expecting this one to run and run, as a result of the united kingdom isn’t by myself in having a vocal fishing foyer with extra political power than its general contribution to the economy might recommend.

    Security

    there may be so much in this record on security – both on interior police co-operation and on broader foreign policy and defence co-operation.

    the ecu wishes the uk in many of those spaces, but the draft makes clear that – on interior safety issues in particular – there may be a variety of felony and technical issues to overcome.

    we will expect, though, that UK and ECU foreign coverage can be co-ordinated as closely as imaginable in the longer term.

    Disputes and courts

    rather like the Draft Withdrawal Settlement, the political declaration envisages a device of dispute solution concerning a joint committee and an arbitration panel.

    But once again, on issues of EUROPEAN law (and there shall be a lot of that desirous about any long run dating) the general word will relax with the european Court of Justice.

    the government will indicate that after Brexit the direct jurisdiction of the ECJ in the uk will come to an end.

    Timing

    there may be a plethora of alternative problems in the draft report that this article hasn’t covered: delivery, power, intellectual belongings and so on.

    both sides say they hope some of these problems and extra can be wrapped up by way of the top of 2020. It’s an formidable timetable.

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  • Brexit papers: What no deal could mean

    British passport

    Another slew of technical notices aimed at providing guidance to the public and businesses on how to prepare for a no-deal Brexit were released by the government on Thursday.

    Ministers say it is an “unlikely” scenario and the UK and EU are working on getting an agreement finalised.

    But what detail has come out of the 28 papers?

    Here is a summary:

    Driving

    Image copyright Science Photo Library

    Mobiles

    Last year, travellers were delighted as Brussels quashed roaming charges for phones used inside the European Union.

    Rather than massive bills for calling back home or posting snaps on social networks, the mobile networks were forced to treat use in other EU countries the same as if the customer was at home.

    A no-deal Brexit means free roaming can no longer be guaranteed.

    The government has tried to put minds at rest, saying it will legislate to include a cap on data roaming charges.

    However, that is not quite the same as being able to use a UK phone in the EU with no additional costs.

    Irish citizens

    As the rules currently stand, UK citizens can cross the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic without any checks, and vice versa.

    That is because of the Common Travel Area (CTA) – which allows for passport-free travel between the UK, Irish Republic, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man.

    But what happens if there is a no-deal Brexit?

    The government has said there will be “no practical changes” to their approach and “no routine immigration controls on journeys from within the CTA to the UK”.

    But with no deal agreed, it is not clear what the EU will say to that.

    Image copyright PA

    Passports

    Ensuring your passport up-to-date is the message from this paper.

    Anyone who wants to travel to the EU after Brexit is told to have at least six months left on their document – or they won’t be allowed to travel.

    And those expecting to get their hands on a blue passport soon will have to wait a little longer.

    Initially, burgundy will still be the colour of choice, although the cover will no longer carry the words “European Union”.

    But if you want the blue passport, ministers say they will be issued in late 2019.

    Firearms

    Currently, EU citizens are allowed to travel with firearms between member states.

    This requires a “European Firearms Pass”, and if you have one, you can go back and forth with it.

    However, in a no-deal scenario, people from the UK will not be able to get one of these passes and will have to check with the country they are travelling to what the rules are.

    The rules won’t change for EU citizens though, whose passes will still be accepted in the UK.

    Safety standards for goods

    One of the things offered by the EU’s single market are common regulations for goods.

    It means, whether you have tomatoes from Spain or sausages from Germany, they all have to adhere to a strict set of rules for quality.

    But, come 29 March 2019, there could be problems.

    If there is a no-deal, goods from the UK would not be covered by the regulations and businesses wanting to export their products would have to check on legislation in each country before they sent them there.

    Also, goods tested by a UK body – say cosmetics or bathroom products – would no longer be recognised by the EU, so would have to go through checks again – by a European Union-approved body – to make sure they meet the bloc’s minimum safety requirements.

    Cars

    As with food and make up, car manufacturers are going to face similar regulation issues.

    If a car is made in the UK, or the parts are, a no-deal Brexit means firms will have to apply to the EU for what is called “type approval” – which shows they comply with EU safety and environmental standards.

    Without this green light, they won’t be able to sell their cars and parts in the 27 member states.

    The paper says that for a time-limited period, perhaps two years, the UK will automatically convert EU approvals into UK approvals – meaning there would be no problem for EU manufacturers wanting to sell their cars in the UK.

    But, without a deal, there is no guarantee the EU would give Britain the same in return.

    Image copyright Getty Images

    Broadcasting

    As it stands, broadcasters in the EU can show their channels in any of the member states, but they only have to come under the scrutiny of one.

    For example, the BBC can show BBC programmes in France, but it only answers to Ofcom’s code, not the French equivalent.

    This “country of origin” principle, however, will disappear with a no-deal Brexit.

    That means broadcasters will have to abide by the regulations in each individual country they want to show their content in.

    Personal data

    You will remember earlier this year that inboxes were flooded with emails about “GDPR”.

    The General Data Protection Regulation applies to all organisations that handle European Union citizens’ data.

    When the rules came in, they gave consumers new rights, such as finding out what data is being held on them, and getting firms to delete that information, unless they had a good reason to keep it.

    Part of the regulation also meant companies were only able to transfer personal data outside of the EU if there was a legal basis for doing so – but they could send it anywhere within the bloc.

    The UK is going to keep the same standard, so there would be no immediate impact there.

    However, if a deal wasn’t agreed, British companies could face problems getting data from member states, as they would no longer be party to it.

    Environment/pollution

    There is a lot of law that has been made in the EU when it comes to protecting the environment and, in turn, the health of citizens.

    Targets to reduce air, water, and land pollution are set by the bloc, as well as emissions from vehicles and industry.

    The UK has pledged to keep these standards, and perhaps raise them higher, but in a no-deal scenario, there may have to be interim measures while we wait for the government to get their new rules through Parliament.

    Also, when it comes to products using damaging chemicals, the companies who make and sell them may need two different permits – one for the UK and one for the EU – giving them more red tape to wade through.

    Image copyright Reuters

    Drugs

    Drug precursors are chemicals that can be used in the illicit manufacture of narcotics.

    But they can also be used for more legitimate means, such as in medicines, perfumes or for plastics.

    Trading these materials is easy enough as a member of the EU.

    But if you are on the outside, it comes at a cost – a license to sell into the block that could cost thousands of pounds.

    So, a no-deal would put firms in that position straight away.

    Space

    The UK is part of a number of joint European space programmes.

    These include Galileo, a satellite project for GPS systems, Copernicus, which carries out earth observations, and EU space surveillance.

    These are important for a range of UK businesses, from telecoms firms to universities.

    But whilst the average smartphone user won’t feel the effect, companies, academics and researchers will no longer play a part in developing the systems and will be unable to bid for future contracts.

    The government has promised to invest £92 million from its “Brexit readiness” to design its own UK Global Navigation Satellite System, but many in the sector have expressed fears of dropping out of the existing EU version.

    Image copyright European Space Agency

    Grants

    The UK can apply for a number of different grants from the EU to fund projects across the country.

    This can range from cash for transport projects and superfast broadband rollouts, through to help for disadvantaged communities, like schemes to create jobs or teach skills.

    But if there is a no-deal Brexit, the cash these things rely on could be cut off early.

    In July, the government promised to fund billions of pounds of programmes until the end of 2020 in the event of a no-deal.

    But there will be some caveats involved, such as collaborations with other member states getting the axe, and changes in line with other public spending.

    Business and investment

    The EU has long held big companies to account when it comes to competition.

    The idea is it stops companies abusing a dominant market position.

    So, when Google was putting its own shopping service ads at the top of search results or when Microsoft promoted its web browser on computers running Windows, the EU gave levied hefty fines and imposed new rules.

    The UK has seen those rules duplicated here – Microsoft introducing a Browser Choice Screen pop-up for example – but if no-deal happens, the same rules won’t apply.

    The government says the UK Competition and Markets Authority will take on responsibility for this role, but it will not be bound by EU law – so outcomes could be different.

    Shipping

    We are an island, and as such, shipping has always played a key role in the economy.

    But a no-deal Brexit could lead to some trouble on the high seas.

    If a ship from a non-EU country wants to enter an EU port, it has to submit security information and get an exemption before docking.

    Of course, members of the EU don’t need to worry about this.

    But, a no-deal UK on the outside would have to apply.

    The papers also reveal crew members from the UK may be affected as they would no longer hold the correct certificates to work on EU vessels.

    The UK has said it will continue to recognise EU certificates for European workers on British boats – but it is up to the EU to reciprocate that.

  • PM to discuss no-deal Brexit plans

    Theresa May leaves Downing st Image copyright PA

    The prime minister is to hold a special three-hour cabinet meeting to discuss preparations for a no-deal Brexit.

    The government is also due to publish guidance on issues such as mobile phone roaming charges, driving licences and passports in the event of the EU and the UK not reaching an agreement.

    The Brexit secretary has said the UK will not pay its financial settlement to the EU in a no-deal scenario.

    He said the government was “stepping up” its contingency planning.

    Theresa May’s proposals, set out after a Chequers summit in July, are fiercely opposed by some Tory MPs and the EU has also expressed reservations.

    Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Roaming charges in EU countries were scrapped in 2017

    Extra charges for people using their phones in another EU country were scrapped in June 2017. But the EU regulation banning them will not automatically be part of UK law after Brexit.

    Mrs May has said the UK will no longer be part of the EU’s “digital single market” after Brexit.

    In theory this means UK mobile operators, if they want to, could reintroduce the charges that could make it expensive to use a mobile phone in another EU country.

    However, last month major operators told the BBC they had no plans to raise charges.

    ‘Nonsense’ and ‘scaremongering’

    Mr Raab said the no-deal plans were “not something we want to have to implement”.

    “No one should pretend that no deal would be straightforward,” he said.

    “There would be risks and some short-term disruption. Extra checks at the EU border would bring delays for businesses.”

    And trading with the EU on World Trade Organization terms – an outcome backed by a group of Brexiteers in a report this week – would be “inferior” to the current arrangements, he said.

    But Mr Raab also criticised those he said were “scaremongering for political ends” about no deal being reached.

    “It’s nonsense to claim that UK supermarkets would run out of food,” he said, adding that people should not be scared by the government’s request to pharmaceutical companies to stockpile extra medicine supplies.

    More no-deal publications are expected in the coming weeks.

  • Brexit: Do claims for a ‘clean break’ add up?

    Jacob Rees-Mogg holding the report Image copyright Getty Photographs Image caption Jacob Rees-Mogg launching the report produced by means of Economists without spending a dime Trade

    A Group of Tory MPs have endorsed a plan for a “clean holiday” from the ecu Union (ECU), with the uk defaulting to International Trade Group (WTO) laws whilst it leaves the european. The proposals are contained in a report by the power staff Economists free of charge Industry (EFT).

    Here’s an initial look at a couple of of the claims they have got made.

    The document indicates the Treasury might obtain approximately £80bn in additional income over the next 15 years, with an general lengthy-time period gain for GDP of approximately 7%.

    These figures are in line with a bunch of calculations and assumptions, no longer all of which stand up to scrutiny.

    people who have modelled a blank Brexit correctly, the EFT asserts, file lengthy-term profits from loose business of 2%-4% of GDP. The report dismisses selection modelling – done by way of the Treasury and via Whitehall’s Cross Departmental Brexit Analysis – which arrived at very other conclusions.

    However that may be a part of the issue. The EFT are convinced that they’re the only folks who’ve modelled the data as it should be – even if theirs is a minority view.

    Image copyright Getty Photographs Symbol caption Lorries from out of doors the ecu have to wait up to NINETY mins although no assessments are made

    There would also be further headaches for UNITED KINGDOM exports. As Soon As the uk is designated as a 3rd usa by means of the ecu, all UK exports of animal beginning might only have the ability to enter EU territory via a veterinary border inspection publish, where there are sometimes time-eating physical inspections in addition as documentary tests.

    Neither the Eurotunnel nor the Calais port is these days certain as a veterinary border inspection post.

    The EFT document says that under WTO laws sanitary and phytosanitary measures (ie protection assessments on food) can’t be used as a “surreptitious means of inhibiting cross-border industry”. That Is real, but that does not erase what are referred to as non-tariff-boundaries totally, it simply reduces inspections the place conceivable.

    “the only countries that have controlled to take away the will for health checks on food being exported to the ecu,” says Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform, “are the ecu Financial Area individuals and Switzerland. they’ve not just implemented EUROPEAN rules in this space domestically, in addition they follow ECU checks on all imports of animal beginning getting into from the remaining of the sector.”

    Meals costs

    The EFT report also suggests lifting tariffs (or import charges) on imported goods to make costs inexpensive. It recognises that in the event you do that for one united states of america, you must do it for each united states of america, below WTO laws.

    If price lists had been removed for all agricultural produce, reasonable imports may flood in and meals costs could fall – however the uk farming trade may well be decimated.

    Symbol copyright Getty Images Symbol caption The file claims lifting some price lists could reduce food prices

    So, the report says, that “most likely essentially the most sexy items to target” could be ones that we don’t produce in the united kingdom at all. It mentions oranges as one instance, nevertheless it could be a lovely restricted number of goods.

    Again, others are extremely sceptical in regards to the EFT’s coverage proposals.

    in keeping with a document printed earlier this year by means of the house of Lords European Union Committee, “EUROPEAN meals imports can not simply get replaced by both producing more in the uk or importing extra from non-EUROPEAN nations”.

    The Lords report forecast that food costs have been more likely to rise with out a Brexit deal.

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