What you need to know about the new ‘no deal’ Brexit papers – UK

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The government has released its latest batch of papers advising people and companies what they need to prepare for if there is a “no-deal” Brexit.

Here is what ministers are saying could happen:

DRIVING

:: Drivers heading to the EU will need to buy an international driving permit or face being turned away at borders.

:: There will be two kinds of permit, which will cost £5.50, and they will depend on which country you are travelling to.

:: According to the government, these permits will take five minutes to buy from post offices.

:: You might also need a permit if you hire a car in the EU.

Police are to test drivers at the roadside
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A UK driving licence in the EU could be invalid by itself, the government warns

:: Driving in Ireland requires a permit which must be renewed every 12 months.

:: So people living on the border, or those businesses which frequently cross the Irish border, will have to renew their permits every year. If they don’t they could be turned back, or face punishments like a fine.

:: The papers don’t mention how this would be monitored, who would be checking permits or who would be issuing the penalties.

:: People moving to the EU, after 29 March 2019, may have to take another driving test.

:: EU drivers heading to the UK will remain free to drive here and will not require a permit.

New and old passports
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The papers reveal when the new blue passports will start to be issued

PASSPORTS

:: Blue passports will start being issued from late 2019.

:: If you renew your passport between late 2019 and early 2020, you’ll be automatically issued with either a blue or burgundy British passport.

:: After 29 March 2019, if you’re a British passport holder (including passports issued by the crown dependencies and Gibraltar), you’ll be considered a third country national under the Schengen Border Code.

:: According to the Schengen Border Code, third country passports must have at least three months’ validity remaining.

:: If you are planning to travel after 29 March 2019, and your passport will be affected by the new validity rules, it is recommended you consider renewing your passport soon to avoid any delay.

Mobile phones
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The government says surcharge-free roaming is not guaranteed

MOBILE ROAMING CHARGES

:: Government confirms that surcharge-free roaming when you travel to the EU could no longer be guaranteed.

:: However, the government says it would legislate to ensure the requirements on mobile operators to apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while abroad is retained in UK law.

:: The limit would be set at £45 per monthly billing period, as at present (currently €50 under EU law).

:: But the government also acknowledges the availability and pricing of mobile roaming in the EU “would be a commercial question for the mobile operators”.

:: The papers say that “as a consequence, surcharge-free mobile roaming in the EU may not continue to be standard across every mobile phone package from that point”.

:: The government says surcharge-free roaming may continue across the EU.

It adds some mobile operators – 3, EE, 02 and Vodafone – which cover more than 85% of mobile subscribers – have said they have no current plans to change the approach to mobile roaming after the UK leaves the EU.

IRISH CITIZENS

:: If you are an Irish citizen you would continue to have the right to enter and remain in the UK, as you do now.

:: There would be no routine immigration controls on journeys between Ireland and the UK.

:: Non-Irish and non-British citizens arriving in the UK from Ireland after a no-deal Brexit would need to ensure that they follow UK entry clearance requirements.

A welder
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Manufacturers may need to have goods re-tested

BUSINESS

:: Exporters will need to make sure their products meet the standards of the EU country they are exporting to.

:: Vehicle type approvals issued in the UK would no longer be valid for sales or registrations on the EU market. The government would plan to issue provisional UK vehicle type approvals to manufacturers that already have EC-type approvals.

:: The main change for companies is that mergers which currently meet the relevant EU thresholds for competition may have to be reviewed by both the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority and the European Commission.

:: But UK competition law will remain as it currently is, bar the necessary changes to remove EU references.

:: That means the European Commission’s power to investigate UK business premises will be removed; and the CMA and UK courts will no longer be bound to follow future Court of Justice case law.

:: If there are breaches of antitrust rules, there could be parallel investigations by CMA and European Commission.

:: Competition infringement decisions made by the European Commission before Brexit will remain in force, meaning that claimants may bring follow-on claims based on those decisions in UK courts.

UK is considering launching a rival satellite navigation system to the EU's Galileo project
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UK is considering launching a rival satellite navigation system to the EU’s Galileo project

SPACE

:: Galileo – The UK will no longer play any part in the development of Galileo or European Geostationary Navigation Overlay programmes.

This means that UK-based businesses, academics and researchers will be unable to bid for future EU global navigation satellite system contracts and may face difficulty carrying out and completing existing contracts.

For example, it may not be possible for businesses or organisations which currently host Galileo and European Geostationary Navigation Overlay ground infrastructure to continue to do so.

:: Copernicus – the UK will no longer be able to participate in the Copernicus programme as an EU member state and will have no role in how it is run. UK-based businesses, academics and researchers will be unable to bid for future Copernicus contracts tendered through the EU, or through any other process using EU procurement rules.

:: EU space surveillance and tracking – the UK will not be eligible to participate in the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking Programme.

UK organisations will not therefore be able to contribute to providing services to the venture, to participate in the scientific and technical groups to develop the programme further or be able to receive grant funding to pay for UK involvement.

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