As I am sure you are aware, the deadline for an extension under the Withdrawal Agreement has now passed and the European Commission has confirmed this is a “definite conclusion” of the matter. There is, therefore, clarity about the changes that will come at the end of this year on 31 December 2020, the transition period will end, the UK will leave the EU’s Single Market and Customs Union and will regain political and economic independence.
The position of the UK Government has always been that they would not ask for any extension of the transition period and Section 33 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, despite the continued speculation about the possibility of extension.
To help ensure readiness, the Government has launched a major public information campaign, The UK’s new start: let’s get going, which clearly sets out the actions businesses and individuals need to take. Guidance is available on gov.uk/transition and via the transition checker, which allows users to answer a set of questions based on their personal or business circumstances and receive a curated list of actions to take. Users can sign up to email updates on this tool, and are alerted as further information becomes available.
