Brexit talks back on: Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen agree to resume trade deal negotiations December 5, 2020 Brexit talks back on: Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen agree to resume trade deal negotiations
EU’s Barnier says still looking for a way to do UK trade deal December 5, 2020 The European Union’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said earlier today he would continue to look for a way to do a trade deal with Britain, but was non-committal on the chances of bridging the current impasse in the Brexit talks. “We keep calm, as always, and if there is still a way, we will see,” [...]
Treasury opens bidding process for first seven post-Brexit Freeports November 16, 2020 From today, the Treasury will start accepting bids from cities and towns across England for the first seven Freeports, which are to be created in 2021. Ultimately, the government aims to establish 10 Freeports across the UK, the Treasury confirmed this morning. Areas given Freeport status will be given a range of tax reliefs, including on purchasing [...]
90 per cent of UK trade not covered by free trade deals post-Brexit November 10, 2020 Only 10 per cent of all UK cross-border trade will be covered by current free-trade agreements after 31 December, City AM understands. Fifty-two countries currently have free trade deals in place with the UK for the end of the Brexit transition period. These agreements account for only 10 per cent of the UK’s total cross-border [...]
Management consultancies cash in £180m for Brexit planning October 28, 2020 Management consultancies have been awarded more than £180m to deliver Brexit, as the government faces mounting criticism for handing out taxpayer cash to private firms during the pandemic. Documents released yesterday showed the government has signed six Brexit contracts each worth £30m with KPMG, McKinsey, Bain, Deloitte, Accenture and PwC. Ministers said the £180m sum [...]
Prime Minister warns “time is very short” for a Brexit deal October 26, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that “time is very short” to overcome key stumbling blocks in Brexit negotiations, as EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier meets with ministers today to try and hammer out a last-minute trade deal. “There is much work to be done if we’re going to bridge what are the significant gaps [...]
MPs ‘seriously concerned’ that British businesses are not ready for Brexit October 23, 2020 The Treasury Committee has written to chancellor Rishi Sunak to express “serious concerns” that an eleventh-hour trade deal with the EU would not give businesses enough time to prepare for Brexit. The select committee said it was left with a “significant number of outstanding questions and issues”, following an evidence session around the UK’s preparedness [...]
UK’s trade deal with Japan likely to be signed next week October 12, 2020 The UK’s free trade agreement with Japan is reportedly set to be formally signed next week. The UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) , which is the first trade deal to be signed since Britain left the EU earlier this year, was agreed in principle last month. And the two countries are hoping to formally [...]
Liz Truss hails ‘productive’ fourth round of UK-US trade talks September 22, 2020 Trade secretary Liz Truss today said the UK and US had made “significant” progress in reaching a trade deal after wrapping up a “productive” fourth round of talks. Truss said the two sides exchanged their first tariff orders and held a series of detailed market access discussions during the round. The US and the UK [...]
Brexit: Prime Minister urges Tory MPs to back him over bill September 12, 2020 Boris Johnson pleaded for Conservative MPs to support his plans to override part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement in a Zoom call late on Friday. The Prime Minister told around 250 Tory MPs on the video call that the party must not return to “miserable squabbling” over Europe. He is hoping to pass an Internal [...]