-Decision for final Brexit on 31/12/2020.

-In order for there to be an agreement between the UK and the EU, the last date was 30/6/2020 in order to negotiate for the extension of the Brexit transition period.

-But no agreement was reached between them and therefore Brexit is now final for 31/12/2020 whether there is an agreement on the future relationship between the two parties or not.

-In July and August there will be an intensification of negotiations on the future relationship between the two parties (EU-UK)

-01/07/2020 – 31/12/2020 German Presidency of the Council of the EU.

-The goal is to reach an Agreement ideally before autumn.

-On the part of the EU, there is intensification for its readiness after the end of the transitional period and the complete exit of the UK from the single market and the customs union until 01/01/2021.

-There is not much time left, and regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, the EU must be ready for practical change.

-The European Commission has issued notifications of readiness to facilitate preparation by Member States.

-Businesses must ensure that they are prepared by the end of the year even in the event of a disagreement.

-The new European Communication of 13/07/2020 refers to the most important areas that will be affected and provides useful advice to both companies and the competent authorities of the Member States regarding the preparations they will have to make to deal with the new situation which will take place after the end of the transitional period on 31/12/2020 whether there is an agreement on the future relationship of the two parties or not.

-These areas that will be affected from 01/01/2021 and for which the European Commission has issued useful advice are:

Trade in goods

EU companies should be familiar with the formalities and procedures to be cooperated with the United Kingdom as a third country from 1 January 2021.

Businesses will be responsible for evaluating the actions required in the face of these changes, in light of their individual situation.

Traders should be able to prove the origin of the goods in order to be eligible for preferential treatment under a possible future EU-UK agreement.

Goods that do not meet the origin requirements will not benefit from these preferential transaction preparations.

EU companies placing goods on the UK market will need to ensure that they comply with all relevant UK rules from 1 January 2021.

With regard to approval and certification procedures, while preparatory measures should have already been taken in 2019, EU companies will have to re-check compliance on 1 January 2021.

Trade in services

Financial services

Insurance providers, banks, investment firms, trading venues and other financial services providers must complete and implement their preparatory measures by 31 December 2020 at the latest to be prepared for the changes that will occur in all scenarios, including where their territory, there is no equivalence decision taken by the European Union or the United Kingdom.

The EU and national supervisors and regulators should continue their dialogue with stakeholders to ensure that all necessary action is taken by the end of 2020.

All transport undertakings operating between the European Union and the United Kingdom must ensure compliance with the EU and UK certification requirements by 1 January 2021 respectively.

Transport services

Air and road transport access rights between the Union and the United Kingdom will depend to a large extent on the outcome of the negotiations with the United Kingdom. In any case, carriers will be affected by changes in the formalities required when crossing the UK-EU border.

Audiovisual services

Audiovisual media service providers established in the United Kingdom and providing audiovisual media services to the European Union must take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with each of the national regimes with which they intend to provide services. EU providers wishing to provide services in the UK will have to comply with UK rules.

Recognition of professional qualifications

Applicants must seek recognition of their qualifications in the United Kingdom European Union before 1 January 2021 in order to prepare for the end of the transition period. Business decisions must take into account that from January 2021, after the end of the transition, this recognition will take place in the Member State concerned on the basis of its country rules for third-country nationals and / or third-country qualifications.

Energy

Businesses and administrations in the Member States should take into account that, from January

In 2021, there will be no electricity interconnections with the UK platforms of the Union and there will be energy flows from third countries. Interested parties should consider the necessary measures to adapt to the new regulatory environment.

Travel and tourism

Travelers should consider changes related to border controls, visa requirements, pet passports, driving licenses and roaming charges when traveling to and from the UK.

Businesses providing travel services need to be familiar with the changes and may need to adjust the procedures accordingly.

They must also ensure that passengers and travelers are well informed of any changes in their rights and obligations.

Mobility and social security coordination

All travel to the EU of UK nationals who are not beneficiaries of the Exit Agreement will be governed by Union and Member State immigration rules. EU companies wishing to recruit UK nationals should follow the relevant rules for third-country nationals of the Union and their respective Member States.

For those EU citizens exercising some form of mobility under the new UK regime, the current coordination of social security systems provided for in Union regulations will cease to exist. The same will apply to UK nationals in the EU, unless they are covered by specific EU rules relating to third-country nationals.

Company law and civil law

Companies registered in the United Kingdom

If companies set up in the UK wish to become EU companies, they will have to take all the necessary steps to integrate into an EU Member State.

Conventional choice of jurisdiction

All companies are advised to consider this situation when evaluating contractual jurisdiction options. Businesses need to be aware that judgments given by a UK court may no longer be enforceable quickly in the European Union compared to the current situation.

Other aspects: Data, digital and intellectual property rights

Intellectual property

Businesses engaged in parallel trade from the United Kingdom will have to return to their business arrangements. Stakeholders should take the necessary steps to ensure that future copyright is protected in the United Kingdom where required.

Data transmission and protection

Businesses and public administrations must take the necessary steps to ensure that any personal data in the UK complies with EU data protection law, regardless of the scenario in which an EU adequacy decision will be taken against the UK. Compliance can be achieved through appropriate safeguards as provided for in the General Data Protection Regulation (G.D.P.R), including binding corporate rules, or through specific derogations.

domain name .eu

Businesses established in the United Kingdom but not in the European Union and non-EU residents of the United Kingdom will no longer be eligible to register or hold .eu domain names.

The international agreements of the European Union

The United Kingdom will no longer be covered by agreements concluded by the Union, or by Member States acting on behalf of the Union, or by the Union and its Member States jointly. The European Union informed its international partners of the consequences of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the Union through a «Note Verbale» sent following the signing of the Exit Agreement.

In conclusion this announcement from the European Commission is very important and extremely useful in helping businesses prepare as best they can for Brexit from 01/01/2021.