Brexit Latest News - Summary 

• The UK officially exited the European Union at 2300Hrs GMT December 31st 2020
•  A trade deal was reached on December 24th, which facilitated tariff and quota free trade between the EU & GB
• Northern Ireland remains within the EU single market
• UK has unilaterally decided to extend the grace period for checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. In response the EU have formally launched legal action against the UK on the basis that the implementation and timeline for these checks were previously agreed within the Northern Ireland Protocol. Joe Biden’s spokesperson said: “We continue to encourage both the EU and the UK government to prioritise pragmatic solutions to safeguard and advance the hard-won peace in Northern Ireland.”
• In order to allow businesses more time to prepare, the UK have postponed by at least six months the introduction of import border controls for certain goods entering the UK from the EU, originally the second phase of border controls were due to take effect from the 1st April 2021 and the final phase on the 1st July 2021.
• The new timeline looks like this:

Delayed until the 1st October 2021
Checks on agri-food and feed (including products of animal origin and high-risk foods not of animal origin) documentation, including Export Health Certification

Delayed until 1st January 2022

• Entry Safety and Security (ENS) declarations for imports delayed.
• Deferred declaration scheme, including submitting supplementary declarations up to six months after the goods have been imported, extended to 1 January 2022
• Pre-notification requirements and documentary checks, including phytosanitary certificates will be required for low risk plants and plant products 
• Physical SPS checks on high risk plants and agri-food and feed (including products of animal origin and high-risk foods not of animal origin) will take place at Border Control Posts, rather than at the place of destination as now.

Delayed until March 2022

• Checks at Border Control Posts will take place on live animals and low risk plants and plant products
• - Figures released by the UK’s Office for National Statistics showed that the export of British goods to the European Union reduced by over 40% in January 2021 compared to trade figures in December 2020. The ONS also highlighted a drop by nearly 30% in import trade for the same period.
• UK government have announced that 8 locations have won bids to become Economic Free Trade Zones:

1. Thames
2. Felixstowe & Harwich
3. Humberside
4. Liverpool City
5. Plymouth
6. Solent
7. Teesside
8. East Midlands Airport