Category: Brexit

Britain Has 10 Days to Save Christmas, Retail Sector Says

LONDON—Britain’s retail industry warned the government on Friday that unless it moves to alleviate an acute shortage of truckers in the next 10 days then significant disruption was inevitable in the run-up to Christmas. As the world’s fifth-largest economy emerges from COVID-19 lockdowns, a spike in European natural gas prices and a post-Brexit shortage of…


UK Sets Out Plans to Replace and Repeal Regulations Copied From EU

LONDON—Britain is to begin replacing or scrapping EU regulations that were copied into British law before the country’s exit from the bloc, Brexit Minister David Frost said on Thursday. To avoid uncertainty and confusion as Britain untangled itself from the EU after 40 years, the government automatically carried thousands of EU laws and regulations into…


Nearly 5 Million Allowed to Stay in UK Under EU Settlement Scheme

Nearly 5 million people have been allowed to continue living and working in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme so far, official statistics show. As of the end of June, 4,908,760 people had been granted an immigration status to remain in the UK after freedom of movement ended following the Brexit transition period, according…


Britain Delays Post-Brexit Import Trade Controls Again

LONDON—Britain has delayed the implementation of some post-Brexit import controls for a second time, saying it would phase in checks through next year rather than impose them now when industry supply chains are under strain. Britain left the European Union’s single market at the beginning of 2021 and the immediate introduction of checks on British…


DUP Leader to Outline Next Steps in Campaign Against Northern Ireland Protocol

The leader of the DUP is to announce the next steps in his party’s campaign to remove the Northern Ireland Protocol. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson will be speaking in the Belfast area on Thursday morning as European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic is visiting the region. Speaking ahead of his speech, Donaldson blasted the protocol as…


Britain No Longer in Top 10 for Trade With Germany as Brexit Bites

BERLIN—Britain is on course to lose its status as one of Germany’s top 10 trading partners this year for the first time since 1950, as Brexit-related trade barriers drive firms in Europe’s largest economy to look for business elsewhere. Britain left the European Union’s single market at the end of 2020, following more than four…


UK Labour Shortages Could Last 2 Years: Business Group

The UK could suffer two more years of labour shortages due to the twin effects of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic and Brexit, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned. “Labour shortages are biting right across the economy,” said Tony Danker, the CBI’s director-general. “These shortages are already affecting business operations and will have…


UK ‘Closing In’ on Free Trade Agreement With New Zealand

The UK is “closing in on an agreement in principle” in trade talks with New Zealand, International Trade Secretary Liz Truss has said. She said “great progress” has been made in the sixth round of talks between the two countries which ran from July 19-30. The prospect of a deal with Australia has prompted controversy,…


EU Freezes Legal Steps Against Britain After UK Request for Standstill

BRUSSELS—The European Commission said on Tuesday it would not move to the next step of its legal action against Britain for unilaterally changing trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, in response to Britain’s request for a “standstill.” The European Union in March began a so-called infringement procedure against Britain for making changes to the Northern Ireland…


UK’s Johnson Urges EU to Consider Post-Brexit Proposals Seriously

LONDON—Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday to consider seriously Britain’s proposals to change what he called the “unsustainable” way a Brexit deal is governing trade with Northern Ireland. Since it completed its exit from the EU at the end of last year, Britain’s ties with the bloc…