DCMS Update on Brexit

I’ve attached an excellent update that DCMS have put together that pulls together Government Brexit announcements and arranges them under different themes

• Future Relationship and Transition Period
• Immigration
• EU Settlement Scheme
• People and Tourism
• International Trade
• Exports, Customs and Borders
• Carnets, Licences and Permits
• Services
• Data Protection and Intellectual property
• EU Funding and Finance
• Arts, Heritage, Tourism and Cultural Sector  

Immigration Update

Legislation has been laid in Parliament setting out a number of changes to the Immigration Rules that provide the foundation for the UK’s new Points-Based Immigration System, which will apply from 1 January 2021.

As you will have seen in the media, this contains the amendment that reduces the Salary threshold to £20,480 from the previous £35,800, a change that will greatly help tourism businesses recruit the staff they need in future.

The Skilled Worker Route will open for applications from December 2020. In order to recruit overseas workers through the Skilled Worker Route, you must be registered as a licensed sponsor. Getting a licence normally takes around 8 weeks and fees apply. You can find all the information you need, at GOV.UK/HiringFromTheEU.

Here’s a link to the full statement on changes to the immigration rules: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-813-22-october-2020

Please find below the latest issue of the transition period newsletter from DCMS, that you may find useful.

This newsletter contains:

• A letter from HMRC to businesses on preparing for the end of the transition period
• Updated information on CITES; and
• Information on .eu domain names and on the eCommerce Directive.

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Letter to the Government on Brexit
Attached is a copy of a CBI-led letter to the Government that the Tourism Alliance is a signatory to which urges the Government to secure a deal with the EU before the end of the year in order to protect UK businesses and employment. The letter has received significant media attention and highlights that we are running out of time and that swift deal is the single most effective way to support recovery from the impact of Coronavirus on the UK economy.

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Time is Running Out Campaign
Somewhat mirroring the call from UK industry that time is running out for the UK Government to reach a deal with the EU, the Government has launched a new campaign to warn businesses that “Time is Running Out” for businesses to prepare for the UK to leave the EU. The Government is urging business leaders to step up preparations for an “Australia-style” exit - which roughly translates as a “No Deal” Brexit.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/time-is-running-out-for-businesses-to-prepare?utm_source=d9f9301b-c83c-44f0-8df1-f301b2a04526&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

This has been followed-up by Michael Gove reading a statement to the House this afternoon informing MPs that the UK will have to prepare to trade with the EU on WTO terms from January, which reflects comments made by the Prime Minister on Friday

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-on-brexit-negotiations-16-october-2020?utm_source=bba1245b-6963-463f-973b-9c59be60a9c5&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

HMRC Letters to VAT registered companies
HMRC has written to all VAT registered companies to explain what they need to do to prepare for new processes for moving goods between Great Britain and the EU from 1 January 2021, including:

• making sure they have a UK Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number
• deciding how they will make customs declarations
• checking if their imported goods are eligible for staged import controls

These actions will not change regardless of the outcome of the government’s negotiations with the EU.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letters-to-businesses-about-new-trade-arrangements-with-the-eu-from-1-january-2021?utm_source=7f6af1a1-080b-442d-9cfc-0514138f5f9b&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

Updated Border Operating Model
The Government has published guidance that provides further detail for businesses and passengers on how the GB-EU border will operate after the end of the transition period. Key announcements are:

• Confirmation that from 1 October 2021, EU, EEA and Swiss nationals will require a passport to travel to the UK.
• EU, EEA and Swiss nationals whose rights are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement, including those eligible for European Union Settlement Scheme status, frontier workers and joining EUSS family members will continue to be able to use a national identity card for travel until at least 31 December 2025 and thereafter if the cards are compliant with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards.
• Hauliers will need a Kent Access Permit to proceed to the border.

Here’s links to the Press notice, Operating Model and Written Ministerial Statement

Importing Plants
One for attractions or visitor gardens that import plants. The government has published guidance about how to import or export plants from 1 January 2021

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/importing-and-exporting-plants-and-plant-products-from-1-january-2021?utm_source=f50db78c-a35c-49c7-9342-ed7a70203958&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

EU Settlement factsheet
The Eu Settlement scheme factsheet has been updated

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-factsheet/eu-settlement-scheme-factsheet

Kurt Janson is starting up the Brexit updates. He will go through the Government announcements each day but will probably send out updates on a slightly irregular basis as the situation will probably not change on a day to day basis.

EU Exit Preparedness Survey
To start off the Brexit updates, here is a link to a new DCMS survey on Brexit preparedness of sectors within their remit.

Please send this out to your members for completion so that DCMS can best understand the level of preparation within the tourism sector, the issues and areas where businesses need further clarity/guidance and how the Department can best support tourism businesses between now and the end of the year. The survey should take no longer than 10-15 minutes to fill in.

https://dcms.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_81RL4HqR3CR344R

A Brief Recap on Travel
With the focus on Coronavirus, it’s probably good to have a little bit of a refresher on where things stand with travel into and out of the UK come 1 January, So here are the links to the two main guidance documents on UK nationals visiting the EEA and EEA nationals visiting the UK.

Outbound Travel

• Passport requirements
• Health care in the EU
• Requirements for driving in the EU
• Taking pets to the EU
• Consumer protection

https://www.gov.uk/visit-europe-1-january-2021

Inbound Travel
This covers issues such as:

• What visitors will need to enter the UK
• School travellers entering the UK
• What visitors can bring into the UK
• Healthcare in the UK for overseas visitors
• Requirements for driving in the UK

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visiting-the-uk-after-brexit