UKLA President’s Report
The Free Trade Agreement published in December allows for tariff and quota-free movement of goods between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union.
The Agreement also ensures the UK abides by the Classification of Labelling and Packaging (CLP) regulation, having already agreed to continue to apply the Biocides Product Regulation, Prior Informed Consent and the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals, or REACH.
Northern Ireland continues to follow EU REACH and EU CLP regulations under the Northern Ireland protocol which treats the island of Ireland as a single entity.
The United Kingdom has established its own REACH regulatory framework, as well as its own CLP regulation covering Great Britain.
There is no doubt that the introduction of checks and controls at the UK/EU border has meant extra
UEIL President’s Report
During 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has been an economic and human catastrophe, and it’s far from over. However, with vaccination programmes rolling out worldwide, it’s possible to start imagining a return to normality over this year and the following ones.
When looking at government policies around the world, it can be expected that green technologies will play a very important role moving forward, as the benefits of environmental sustainability are increasingly acknowledged. We are witnessing significant investments in green energy in China, the Middle East and India. Nigeria plans to phase out fossil-fuel subsidies and to install solar-power systems for an estimated 25 million people. In the United States it is expected that energy transition will accelerate with the new Administration, as US President Joe Biden promises to invest 2 trillion USD in clean energy related to transportation, power, and building. The European Union is addressing climate change, as outlined in the Green Deal published in 2020, and plans to dedicate around 30% of its over 720 billion Euro COVID-19 recovery plan to climate change related measures.
4 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.161 FEBRUARY 2021
customs processing time and an increase in paperwork required of both exporters to the EU, and importers to the UK.
It is expected this processing time will reduce as border checks become routine and adopted into business-as-usual practice.
Any change takes time to embed. The initial disruption at the seventeen roll-on/roll-off locations around the UK will ease over coming months as businesses understand what is expected of them by customs authorities operating on both sides of the channel.
Now that Brexit lays behind us, businesses now have the certainty needed to trade progressively with our European neighbours, and UKLA stands ready to support the industry over the coming months and years that lie ahead.
Darren Frogson, UKLA President
Such a shift will definitely have an impact on our sector. On one hand, sustainability will play an increasingly important role in the eyes of investors, aspects such as use of non-renewable resources, energy consumption, and emissions will need to be carefully analysed and addressed. On the other hand, the growth opportunities that the development of the green economy entails could be substantial, with large sectors such as manufacturing, renewable energy, and agriculture most likely to be impacted – all sectors which are closely linked to the lubricant industry.
Certainly, 2020 has been a challenging year for our industry, especially for the automotive sector, which has been impacted even more severely than during the 2008-9 recession, with a sharp decline in demand in both the first fill and the aftermarket. However, the recovery path has slowly started and our industry can benefit from the untapped opportunities that will be created by stimulus packages and the growth of the green economy.
I wish you all a safe and successful 2021! Valentina Serra-Holm, UEIL President
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53
