Varadkar: The EU has the upper hand in Brexit trade talks January 27, 2020 Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar feels the EU will have an advantage in the upcoming trade deal talks between the UK and the bloc. Varadkar used a sports analogy to explain the EU has a “stronger team” than Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s UK, due to its larger population and market size. The Irish PM is [...]
Priti Patel: British businesses too reliant on ‘cheap labour’ from the EU January 26, 2020 Home Secretary Priti Patel has accused British businesses of being too reliant on “low skilled” and “cheap” labour from the EU, calling on firms to “invest in the British public”. Speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge programme this morning, Patel said the points-based immigration system the government plans to introduce after Brexit would “put a spotlight [...]
Brexit bill granted royal assent and signed into law January 23, 2020 The Brexit bill has been granted royal assent and has now been signed into law, paving the way for the UK’s exit from the European Union next week. Deputy speaker Nigel Evans today announced in the Commons that the bill, dubbed the EU Withdrawal Agreement Act, has been approved by the Queen after passing parliament. [...]
Watchdog tells financial firms to be ready in case of no-deal Brexit January 23, 2020 Financial firms in the UK should be ready in case Britain does not reach a trade deal with the European Union by December, according to a senior regulator. Britain leaves the EU next week, with “business as usual” transition period in place until December. Formal trade talks are set to begin in the coming weeks. [...]
For businesses relying on EU tax directives, what happens after Brexit? January 23, 2020 | City Talk Businesses are currently eager to know what shape any post-Brexit trade agreement with the EU will take and what tariffs or other barriers might apply to goods and services. However, when considering financing operations and investment abroad, businesses also need to look at the EU tax directives that facilitate cross-border financing flows. A repeated question [...]
‘We’ve done it’ says Boris Johnson, as Brexit bill finally passes parliament January 22, 2020 Boris Johnson has urged the country to put “the rancour and division of the last three years” behind it and “move forwards as one”, following the passage of his Brexit bill. The Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which was blocked repeatedly by the Commons prior to December’s election, last night finally finished its parliamentary stages and will [...]
Exclusive: Downing Street plots for UK to ‘take up its flag’ at WTO months ahead of agreed time January 22, 2020 Downing Street wants the UK to “take up its flag” at the next WTO meeting months ahead of the time agreed with the EU, City A.M. has learned. Conversations are taking place at Number 10 over whether the UK should sit independently from the EU at the March WTO meeting, the first time it will [...]
Sajid Javid denies ‘no alignment’ with EU plan will hit manufacturers January 21, 2020 Sajid Javid has denied the government’s policy of “no alignment” with European Union rules will damage the manufacturing industry. The chancellor was asked whether comments made over the weekend that some firms would not benefit from Brexit meant he was prepared to sacrifice some UK manufacturers. He said: “No, not at all. We look forward [...]
Frictionless trade ‘just not possible’ says former minister Liam Fox January 20, 2020 Any automatic alignment to EU regulations as they change over time would be “completely incompatible with the concept of Brexit,” former trade minister Liam Fox will tell Swiss business leaders tomorrow. With just 10 days before the UK leaves the EU, Fox will stress that frictionless trade between the two sides is “simply not possible” [...]
Over 1000 EU financial firms planning to open UK offices after Brexit January 20, 2020 More than 1000 banks, asset managers, payments firms and insurers from the European Union are planning to open offices in post-Brexit Britain so they can continue to serve UK clients. The new offices would help financial firms counter the loss of business as unrestricted two-way access between the UK and EU comes to an end [...]