REGULATION Brexit David Wright, UKLA Director General
After the summer recess, attention has focused on the Government’s intention for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union on October 31st. Talk in the House of Commons about seeking an extension to the current notice period to avoid a ‘no deal’ exit has done nothing to reduce the uncertainty that business, and the lubricant sector, continue to face.
PM Johnson talked openly about withholding all or part of the publicised divorce settlement of £39bn from the EU in the event of ‘no deal’. Analysts believe that, due to delays in the UK’ departure date from March 29 to October 31, the divorce settlement has reduced to £33bn due to the UK continuing to meet its commitments to the EU budget throughout this period.
The UK Prime Minister needs to tread carefully in the run up to 31 October to ensure he continues to carry his minority coalition Government in the House of Commons and avoid a no confidence motion which, if carried, could lead to a general election being called and the dissolution of Parliament. For his own party, MPs will have to choose between departure on terms agreed by PM Johnson or supporting the motion to extend notice served under Article 50 which could lead to a cross-party alliance taking control of Parliamentary business after the recess.
Following the 31 October, the UK could begin to turn its full attention to trade matters. Already the UK has begun to negotiate terms of trade with thirteen countries from Central America to the Pacific States which conclude after the UK has formally left the European Union. Until then the country is unable to negotiate its own terms of trade and is governed by terms it has previously agreed as a member of the EU.
If the UK leaves the EU without these trade agreements in place, then it will revert to World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and it has published the tariffs it intends to introduce on a temporary basis on the UK Government website at
https://www.gov.uk/ guidance/trading-under-wto-rules.
The UK Government is encouraging businesses to make preparations to import from the EU after Brexit by applying for an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number. Guidance on applying for an EORI number can be seen at https://
www.gov.uk/prepare-import-to-uk-after-brexit.
Specific guidance for the chemical sector in the event of a ‘no deal’, of which petrochemicals and more specifically lubricants are a part, has been produced by UK Government and can be found at https://
www.gov.uk/guidance/the-chemicals-sector-and- preparing-for-eu-exit.
The UK regulator, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), has produced guidance on chemical regulation for UK businesses working in the supply chain. HSE’s guidance can be found at
https://www.hse.gov.uk/ brexit/
chemicals-brexit-guidance.htm.
Specific advice on REACH in the event of a ‘no deal’ has been produced by UK Government and can be accessed at
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to- comply-with-reach-chemical-regulations.
Guidance from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) about chemicals regulation for companies in both the UK and European supply chains has been issued, and can be accessed at
https://echa.europa. eu/uk-withdrawal-from-the-eu.
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LUBE MAGAZINE NO.148 DECEMBER 2018 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.153 OCTOBER 2019
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