Brexit: progress being made

Following the General Election the UK Government is moving forward to implement the Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol, and negotiate on the future partnership with the EU.

In light of the successful vote at Second Reading of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB), the Prime Minister has now confirmed the Government’s intention to stand down no deal planning for 31 January 2020 with immediate effect.

The Withdrawal Agreement Bill is continuing its passage through the House of Commons this week and will likely move to the House of Lords next week.

With this deal the UK will enter an Implementation Period, which under the Bill will end on 31 December 2020.

There will be the opportunity to assess the progress of negotiations mid-year and adjust contingency plans accordingly.

During the Implementation Period, the UK will continue to stay aligned to EU law, and existing regulatory and customs procedures will remain in place. Supplies, including medical devices and diagnostic technologies, will continue to flow as today during the Implementation Period.

The ‘stand down’ message will be formalised in a written letter from the Department and should be agreed and circulated in the next week or so.