“A week is a long time in politics” – Harold Wilson, British Prime Minister, in 1964 The first week of Parliamentary scrutiny for Boris Johnson’s Government has certainly lived up to Harold Wilson’s famous aphorism. MPs returned from their summer break to the news that the Prime Minister intended to close down (“prorogue”) Parliament after … Continue Reading
The Home Office has recently issued a factsheet indicating that freedom of movement as it currently stands will end on 31 October 2019 and that arrangements for people coming to the UK for longer periods for work or study will change. Annabel Mace looks at what this means in practice and how employers should prepare. … Continue Reading
Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises that the UK will leave the EU on 31 October with “no ifs or buts”. With three months left until the UK is due to leave the EU, the Prime Minister states that he hopes to negotiate a better deal, but concern remains that the UK will leave the EU … Continue Reading
The new Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, has taken up office following his decisive (66% : 34%) victory in the contest among Conservative Party members who were presented with a choice between him and the Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt. He promised during the campaign to take the UK out of the EU by … Continue Reading
On 24 May, Prime Minister Theresa May announced her intention to resign as Prime Minister. She will stand down as leader of the Conservative Party on 7 June (after President Trump’s visit and the D-Day commemorations), and as Prime Minister as soon as the Conservative Party has chosen a successor. Her tenure in office had … Continue Reading
In March 2019, the Spanish government adopted a set of contingency measures in case the UK would leave the EU without reaching an agreement.… Continue Reading
UK financial market entities in Poland – A Polish Brexit bill, passed on 15 March 2019, provides a transition period for the business operations of UK financial market entities in Poland, starting from the date of a “no-deal” Brexit. This period will allow businesses to conduct any legal operations needed to cease legal relationships entered … Continue Reading
German legislators have adopted a number of Acts of Parliament in relation to Brexit both on the federal level and on the level of the 16 German states. Some of these regulate the “deal” scenario where the Withdrawal Agreement is ratified by the UK, and some of these regulate the “no-deal” scenario. The so-called Brexit … Continue Reading
The French Parliament authorised the government to take measures – known as orders (ordonnance) – which should otherwise be taken pursuant to law, in order to map out the consequences of a “no-deal” Brexit. The government had either six months or a year to pass those orders, following publication of the law. The government was … Continue Reading
The Czech government adopted the Act No. 74/2019 Coll., which aims to soften the possible negative consequences of a “no-deal” Brexit. The act is intended to be a temporary measure, and all the instruments within it will last only until the long-term measures are adopted. The act is to be effective from the day the … Continue Reading
While US policymakers are eager to set out trade relations with the UK post-Brexit, the UK cannot begin its own bilateral talks with trading partners until it has formally exited the EU, as the bloc has exclusive competence over trade matters. Furthermore, the final form of the UK-EU trade relationship will inform how other trade … Continue Reading
The EU-27 member states have been very carefully observing the UK domestic political manoeuvering and posturing this year. The predominant view in the EU-27 is that a managed “deal” scenario is far more preferable to a potentially chaotic “no-deal”. At the same time, precautions have been taken to prepare for a “no-deal” scenario. The EU-27 … Continue Reading
The mood in the Conservative Party is bleak. Many of the political challenges with Brexit can be traced back to the 2017 election. Prime Minister Theresa May lost her majority and was only able to retain power by making a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from Northern Ireland. The arithmetic in Parliament is … Continue Reading
Procedurally, the UK has three options: Ratify the Withdrawal Agreement (with possible accompanying changes to the Political Declaration on the future relationship with the EU) before 22 May, and cancel participation in the European Parliament elections Ratify the Withdrawal Agreement (with possible accompanying changes to the Political Declaration on the future relationship with the EU) … Continue Reading
Lord, what fools these mortals be – Shakespeare, Midsummer Night’s Dream Last Friday should have been the day the UK left the EU. Instead the Westminster Parliament, in a rare Friday sitting, rejected the Withdrawal Agreement component of the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal by a substantial majority. What has happened? Parliament has imposed “indicative votes” … Continue Reading
Summary Government strategy thrown into disarray by Speaker’s ruling that Parliament cannot vote on the May withdrawal deal again The threat of no deal Brexit on 29 March has been reduced, but not entirely removed The threat of no deal Brexit at some point in the future is still there, but remains small Brexit will … Continue Reading
Where are we now? The UK’s progress towards leaving the European Union has been a tortuous and turbulent affair. It has been marked by Prime Minister Theresa May’s Government suffering repeated heavy defeats in Parliament, which would normally have led to a change of policy if not of Government, but carrying on with its Brexit … Continue Reading
Brexit is scheduled to become effective at the end of 29 March 2019 and will take place either with a Withdrawal Agreement or without one having been entered into between the UK and the EU-27. At this point in time it is possible that the Article 50 TEU notice is withdrawn by the UK Government. … Continue Reading
Over the period since the rejection of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Prime Minister’s tactic has been to try to bring the pro-Brexit wing of the Conservative Party, and the Northern Ireland Democratic Unionists, back on side. No.10 appear to have been successful in whittling the pro-Brexit wing’s nominal resistance to the Withdrawal Agreement (which was … Continue Reading
As it stands, the UK will cease to be a member state of the European Union (EU) as of 30 March 2019. On 24 November 2018, the UK and the EU agreed to enter into a Withdrawal Agreement (the Withdrawal Agreement). The Withdrawal Agreement provides in Article 127 (6) that during a transition period from … Continue Reading
As it stands, the UK will cease to be a member state of the European Union as of 30 March 2019. On 24 November 2018 the UK and the EU agreed to enter into a Withdrawal Agreement. The Withdrawal Agreement provides in Article 127 (6) that during a transition period from 30 March 2019 to … Continue Reading
The ECJ rendered today, 10 December 2018, its judgement in case C 621/18 Wightman in relation to the question whether the UK can unilaterally withdraw its Brexit notice of 29 March 2017. There are three key take aways from that judgement:… Continue Reading
In an Opinion released today Advocate General Campos Sánchez-Bordona has proposed that the Court of Justice should declare that Article 50 TEU allows for the unilateral revocation of a notification by a Member State of an intention to withdraw from the EU. The Advocate General’s Opinion is not binding on the Court of Justice. Many … Continue Reading
Brexit gives rise to significant challenges for the UK in relation to VAT. The UK aspires to frictionless cross-border trade with the EU after it has left, or at least borders that are as frictionless as possible, but, at least until technology has further advanced, VAT necessitates a border between those who are inside a … Continue Reading
