ECONOMIC/TRADE ISSUES

EU Warns of “Fair Playing Field” Requirement for Free Trade Agreement with UK Post-Brexit

10 December 2019

On 6 December 2019, the new EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan shed a note of optimism during a speech, by claiming that many aspects of a free trade agreement with the UK may be negotiated relatively quickly, before the end of 2020. More

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New Brexit Date Set for 31 January 2020, with UK Elections to Take Place on 12 December 2019

31 October 2019

After being forced to break his pledge to bring the UK out of the EU by 31 October 2019, the UK Prime Minister was obliged to accept an extension to Brexit until 31 January 2020. In response to this, the Prime Minister has successfully, after several previous failed attempts, passed legislation for an election to take place on 12 December where voters will be asked to break the Brexit deadlock. More

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Brexit: UK Parliament Votes to Approve Deal Reached by EU and UK but Rejects Timetable to Leave by 31 October 2019

24 October 2019

The UK and the EU managed to reach a new deal, the UK Prime Minister reluctantly sent a letter to the EU requesting an extension to Brexit, and UK MPs voted to allow the legislation on the Withdrawal Agreement to pass to the next stage of the parliamentary process. However, the UK Parliament also rejected the timetable proposed by the government to fast-track the legislation that would have implemented the new Brexit deal in time to for the UK to leave the EU by 31 October 2019. More

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UK to Grant 88% of Imports Tariff-free in Case of No-deal Exit

17 October 2019

On 8 October 2019, the UK Treasury and Department for International Trade – as part of the UK’s no-deal preparations – published an update to the UK’s temporary tariff regime that is intended to be put in place should the UK leave the EU without a deal at the end of October. More

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Brexit: PM Johnson Unveils New Proposals in Attempt to Secure Deal and Break Deadlock with EU

08 October 2019

On 2 October 2019, Prime Minister Boris Johnson put forward new (in his words) “constructive and reasonable proposals which provide a compromise for both sides” in an attempt to break the long-running deadlock between the EU and the UK to secure a deal before the withdrawal of the UK on 31 October. More

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Brexit: Regulatory Challenges Faced by UK and EU-27 Companies in the Field of Chemicals Law

24 September 2019

Should the UK leave the EU by the currently foreseen deadline of 31 October 2019 without a withdrawal agreement in place, the EU’s laws will stop applying to UK-based establishments. This will be the case for all product-related laws, including the REACH chemicals legislation. More

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Ireland’s Former Environment and Community Minister Nominated as the New EU Trade Commissioner

17 September 2019

On 10 September 2019, the European Commission’s president-elect Ursula von der Leyen presented her team of 26 commissioners at a press conference in Brussels. The proposed commissioners are expected to take over the roles as of 1 November 2019, if the nominations are approved by the national governments and lawmakers without a delay. More

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Brexit: EU Commission Publishes Preparedness Notice in the Field of Cosmetics

13 September 2019

The EU and Member States are preparing for Brexit and encourage stakeholders to do so as well. The European Commission recently published a preparedness notice for the cosmetics industry laying out the consequences of a no-deal Brexit and containing important changes with regard to “responsible person”, notifications in the CPNP (the cosmetics portal), product information file, labelling and safety assessor. More

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As Boris Johnson Suffers Sixth Parliamentary Defeat in Record Time, UK Parliament Is Suspended

11 September 2019

It will come as no surprise to Hong Kong readers that the UK’s MPs have once more rejected Boris Johnson's attempts for a snap election to be held before the end of October 2019. On 9 September 2019, just 293 MPs voted for the prime minister's motion calling for the snap election, far short of the required majority. More

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Snap Election Sought by UK Prime Minister After UK Parliament Votes to Avert No-deal Brexit

05 September 2019

Faced with the suspension of the UK parliament for five weeks in the months of September and October, British MPs voted on 3 September to take control of the parliamentary timetable. This paves the way for a vote to extend the date of the UK leaving the EU to 31 January 2020. The UK Prime Minister has responded by seeking a snap election which he claims will take place before 31 October, the current departure date of the UK. More

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