Withdrawal from the European Union

Fisheries: UK-EU future relationship negotiations

Retrieved on: 
Friday, May 29, 2020

The UK is in the process of negotiating its future relationship with the EU, inlcuding fisheries, follwoing Brexit.

Key Points: 
  • The UK is in the process of negotiating its future relationship with the EU, inlcuding fisheries, follwoing Brexit.
  • This will include setting total allowable catches (TACs), distributing quotas and determining who has access to fisheries.
  • Future fishing opportunities would be based on the principle of zonal attachment, similar to the EUs fisheries agreement with Norway.
  • For an overview of the negotiations to date please see Commons Briefing Paper The UK-EU future relationship: the March 2020 EU draft treaty and negotiations update.

Article - Covid-19: the EU plan for the economic recovery

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Grim economic forecasts

Key Points: 
  • Grim economic forecasts

    The latest economic forcasts, presented by the Commission in early May, show the economy has taken a hard hit because of the health crisis.

  • But Parliament insists that the recovery package should come on top of the needs of existing EU programmes and not take funding away from them.
  • Recovery funds should go to those that are hardest hit by the crisis, say MEPs.
  • The resolution suggests the recovery package should be financed through the issuance of long-term recovery bonds guaranteed by the EU budget.

Article - Covid-19: the EU plan for the economic recovery

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Grim economic forecasts

Key Points: 
  • Grim economic forecasts

    The latest economic forcasts, presented by the Commission in early May, show the economy has taken a hard hit because of the health crisis.

  • But Parliament insists that the recovery package should come on top of the needs of existing EU programmes and not take funding away from them.
  • Recovery funds should go to those that are hardest hit by the crisis, say MEPs.
  • The resolution suggests the recovery package should be financed through the issuance of long-term recovery bonds guaranteed by the EU budget.

Highlights - Transport in COVID-19 crisis: EP backs new measures relieving administrative burden - Committee on Transport and Tourism

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 19, 2020

The European Parliament approved on 15 May 2020 four legislative proposals that will provide more flexibility to the transport sector by temporarily removing administrative barriers and burdens.

Key Points: 

The European Parliament approved on 15 May 2020 four legislative proposals that will provide more flexibility to the transport sector by temporarily removing administrative barriers and burdens.

Trade Bill 2019-21

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, May 16, 2020

This briefing paper sets out the background to the Trade Bill 2019-21. This Bill has its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 20 May 2020.Download the full reportIntroduction This Commons Library briefing analyses the Trade Bill, which was published on 18 March 2020.

Key Points: 


This briefing paper sets out the background to the Trade Bill 2019-21. This Bill has its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 20 May 2020.

Download the full report

    Introduction

      • This Commons Library briefing analyses the Trade Bill, which was published on 18 March 2020.
      • This Bill is concerned only with the former and gives the Government powers to implement rolled-over trade agreements.
      • The Bill is not intended to deal with future new trade agreements.
      • This Bill follows a very similar Trade Bill introduced in the 2017-19 Session.
      • This had its Second Reading in the Commons in January 2018 and completed Third Reading in the Lords in March 2019.

    Procurement

      • The Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) is a voluntary (plurilateral) agreement between the EU and 19 countries to open up their public procurement markets to each other, under the World Trade Organization (WTO).
      • The UK is currently a part of the GPA through its transitional relationship with the EU.
      • The Bill would allow legislative changes to be made where necessary for the UK to implement the agreement, and to respond to various other circumstances.

    International trade agreements

      Continuity in trade policy

        • During the transition period, the UK is effectively still party to the EUs trade agreements.
        • The Governments aim is to provide continuity after Brexit in trade relations with those countries with which the EU has a trade agreement.
        • The Government view these trade continuity agreements as different to new trade agreements with countries which do not have a trade agreement with the EU (such as the US and China).

      The Bill

        • The Trade Bill aims to help with the process of transitioning the EUs trade agreements to UK agreements.
        • The trade provisions of the Bill relate to this domestic implementing legislation rather than the trade agreements themselves.
        • The Bill gives the Government powers to change domestic legislation to fulfil the obligations arising from these trade agreements.
        • While the Bill is important in allowing the transitioning of existing EU trade agreements, it is relatively limited in what it sets out to achieve.
        • The Bill also only contains provisions relating to non-tariff barriers (these may be requirements on labelling or product specifications, for example).

      The Trade Remedies Authority

        • Trade remedies sometimes referred to as trade defence measures allow a country to take steps against unfair competition from dumped or subsidised imports.
        • During the transition period, trade remedies are dealt with by the EU.
        • The Bill would establish a new UK non-departmental public body, the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), to take over such functions.

      Trade information


        The Bill would give HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) a new power to ask others for information about the identity and numbers of UK exporters. It would also allow HMRC to share information with other bodies for their public functions relating to trade.

      Issues raised by the Bill

        Delegated powers

          • The Bill gives the Government powers to make regulations using secondary legislation.
          • Delegated powers are contained in clause 1 (procurement), clause 2 (trade agreements) clause 7 (collection of exporter information by HMRC) and clause 11 (commencement).
          • Clauses 2 and 7 also include a Henry VIII power (where delegated powers can be used to modify primary legislation).

        Devolution

          • The devolved administrations, therefore, have no formal role in negotiating or approving trade (or other) treaties.
          • To the extent that the devolved administrations are involved, it is at the UK Governments discretion.
          • As trade treaties are relevant to many areas of devolved responsibility, such as agriculture, the devolved administrations currently implement EU trade agreements in their areas of competence.
          • The Bill gives the devolved administrations some powers to implement the obligations arising from the GPA and the trade agreements in the scope of the Bill.

        Parliamentary scrutiny of trade agreements

          • Parliaments formal role in UK trade agreements is very limited.
          • While Parliament can delay ratification (indefinitely, in theory), the Acts powers have been described by the Lords Constitution Committee as poorly designed to facilitate parliamentary scrutiny of treaties.
          • There have been many calls for Parliament to have a greater role in, for example, setting the negotiating mandate for trade negotiations, debating trade agreements and approving their ratification.
          • The Bill contains no provisions for greater Parliamentary involvement in trade agreements.

        The UK-EU future relationship negotiations: Transport

        Retrieved on: 
        Tuesday, March 31, 2020

        It will last until 31 December 2020 unless both sides agree to an extension to complete negotiations.

        Key Points: 
        • It will last until 31 December 2020 unless both sides agree to an extension to complete negotiations.
        • Alongside the WA in October 2019, the UK and the EU agreed a Political Declaration (PD) setting out the framework for the future relationship between the two.
        • The two main issues are aviation and international road transport, particularly haulage.
        • More policy background on how EU law affects UK transport policy and the potential implications of the UKs exit can be found in Commons Library briefing paper Brexit and Transport, CBP 7633, November 2018.

        Close UK-EU cooperation needed in financial services after Brexit

        Retrieved on: 
        Saturday, March 28, 2020

        As part of its review of financial services after Brexit, the Committee took evidence from the financial regulators, insurers, bankers, asset managers, academics, representatives from industry bodies and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP.

        Key Points: 
        • As part of its review of financial services after Brexit, the Committee took evidence from the financial regulators, insurers, bankers, asset managers, academics, representatives from industry bodies and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP.
        • Evidence gathered by the Committee emphasises the need to stabilise the future UK-EU relationship in financial services whilst also making the most of the opportunities after Brexit.
        • The Government should delegate more powers to the financial regulators after Brexit, to give the UKs regulatory regime more flexibility and increase its ability to respond to changes.
        • The UK should take a leadership role in promoting international cooperation in financial services after Brexit by promoting global standards.

        fsab-letter-publication

        Retrieved on: 
        Friday, March 27, 2020

        Evidence gathered by the Committee emphasises the need to stabilise the future UK-EU relationship in financial services whilst also making the most of the opportunities after Brexit.

        Key Points: 
        • Evidence gathered by the Committee emphasises the need to stabilise the future UK-EU relationship in financial services whilst also making the most of the opportunities after Brexit.
        • There should be regular and structured dialogue to provide a forum for discussion and resolve any possible disagreements.
        • The UK may wish to make some targeted adjustments to ensure that the regulatory regime is fit for purpose.
        • The UK should take a leadership role in promoting international cooperation in financial services after Brexit by promoting global standards.

        Close UK-EU cooperation needed in financial services after Brexit

        Retrieved on: 
        Friday, March 27, 2020

        As part of its review of financial services after Brexit, the Committee took evidence from the financial regulators, insurers, bankers, asset managers, academics, representatives from industry bodies and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP.

        Key Points: 
        • As part of its review of financial services after Brexit, the Committee took evidence from the financial regulators, insurers, bankers, asset managers, academics, representatives from industry bodies and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP.
        • Evidence gathered by the Committee emphasises the need to stabilise the future UK-EU relationship in financial services whilst also making the most of the opportunities after Brexit.
        • The Government should delegate more powers to the financial regulators after Brexit, to give the UKs regulatory regime more flexibility and increase its ability to respond to changes.
        • The UK should take a leadership role in promoting international cooperation in financial services after Brexit by promoting global standards.

        EU Healthcare Industry Forecasts, 2020 - Featuring an Impact & Opportunity Assessment of Brexit

        Retrieved on: 
        Monday, March 16, 2020

        DUBLIN, March 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "EU Healthcare Predictions and Outlook, 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

        Key Points: 
        • DUBLIN, March 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "EU Healthcare Predictions and Outlook, 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
        • Amid rising global trade tensions and sluggish global economic outlook for 2020, the global healthcare market is expected to cross the 2-trillion-dollar mark in 2020.
        • In Europe, BREXIT is likely to have a strong impact on the United Kingdom, Europe's biggest digital health market.
        • 2020 will be a global reality check for long-pending national healthcare policies and regulatory reforms that must re-invigorate future strategies.