Brexit

The British exit of the European Union is the most significant economic demerger between major economies since the Second World War and much about the forthcoming process of transitioning out of the EU has no precedent. But we know already that both the UK and the EU will be significantly changed by what is about to unfold.

Global Counsel has been helping clients prepare for a possible Brexit over the past three years. Our team of former Whitehall and Brussels policymakers and sectoral specialists, based at our offices in Brussels and London, enable us to help clients navigate the politics, policy and commercial implications of Brexit.

Contact us to find out how we can help your organisation.

General Politics

Any post-Frost return to ‘diplomacy’ will still leave UK business to fend for themselves in Brussels

General Politics

Tom White
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This week’s anniversary of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides a moment for firms to review operational adaptation to Brexit, planned and revised at speed as ‘no deal’ was (partially) avoided last Christmas Eve. However, Lord Frost’s dramatic resignation – and signs that power over EU relations could trickle back from Downing Street to the Foreign Office – is…

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Unpacking the latest NIP proposals

Trade & Manufacturing

Stephen Adams
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The European Commission has released its proposals on how to ease the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol. They contain far-reaching proposals in some areas, such as facilitative measures for goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. They are light on details in others. Critically, they are silent on certain issues raised by the UK government, such…

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Will capacity constraints scupper the UK Government’s vision for post Brexit medical devices regulation?

Health and Life Sciences

Mark Loughridge
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In September, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued its long-anticipated consultation on the UK’s post Brexit medical devices regime. For all the early talk of substantial divergence from existing EU rules, the UK Government is in fact proposing greater regulatory alignment and a focus on pathways so far not offered by other major…

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The UK border in 2021-2022 changes ahead for importers

Trade & Manufacturing

Stephen Adams
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On a recent Global Counsel event, hosted in collaboration with clearBorder UK, Stephen Adams, Senior Director; Elly Darkin, Senior Associate; and Christopher Salmon, founder of clearBorder UK discussed the border changes to expect over the next year. 

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What is the UK doing differently after Brexit?

General Policy

Alex Dawson
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Alex Dawson, Practice Lead for UK politics and policy; Lilah Howson-Smith, Senior Associate; and Joe Armitage, Lead Analyst for UK politics discuss UK policy divergence after Brexit, following our recent event series.

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The UK's life sciences sector after Brexit

General Policy

Giulia Corsi
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On an event for the Global Counsel network, Giulia Corsi, Senior Associate; Dr Harpreet Sood, GC Adviser and Lilah Howson-Smith, Senior Associate discuss the opportunities for the UK life sciences sector as it diverges from the EU regulatory frameworks.

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Unpacking the UK Budget

General Policy

Stephen Adams
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On a call for the Global Counsel network, Stephen Adams, Senior Director, Alex Dawson, UK Politics and Policy Practice Lead and Rebecca Park, Financial Services Practice Lead examine the newly-announced UK Budget for 2021 and what it means for businesses and investors. They focus on key questions on the future of covid support schemes like furlough and business loans,…

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Could UK gene-editing policy divide the union?

General Policy

Elly Darkin
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After chlorinated chicken, Gene editing (GE) is quickly emerging as the next highly politicised issue for the UK agri-food sector. Following the launch of Defra’s consultation on the subject last month, fault lines have emerged between those who fear a ‘race to the bottom’ on food standards and those who see potential for GE to drive more sustainable food production…

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The UK and international trade in financial services

Trade & Manufacturing

Stephen Adams
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GC has collaborated with UK Finance to produce a comprehensive strategic overview of how the UK might define a trade policy for financial services. The UK and international trade in financial services report:

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For Northern Ireland, Brexit borders are more about identity than markets

Trade & Manufacturing

Denzil Davidson
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The great Irish-American politician Tip O’Neill was famous for pointing out that all politics is local. But local politics doesn’t always stay local. The history of Northern Ireland is decades-long proof of that, and that proof is again being applied to the whole UK/EU relationship.

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General Politics

What we talk about when we talk about divergence

General Politics

Stephen Adams
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Since the UK’s vote to exit the European Union in 2016, the question of UK ‘divergence’ from EU regulation has been central to the debate about the future of the EU-UK relationship.  From different perspectives this has been presented both as a rationale for EU exit and an unfortunate and inevitable consequence of it. It has been a concern bordering on a neurosis for…

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The Brexit dividend: opportunities for the UK

Trade & Manufacturing

Stephen Adams
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Stephen Adams, Lilah Howson-Smith and Alex Dawson discuss GC’s report on how post-Brexit divergence will shape the UK and EU’s policy landscape, and how businesses and investors should engage with the British desire to do things differently outside the EU.

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Retail and Rules of Origin after Brexit

Trade & Manufacturing

Stephen Adams
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With UK-based distributors in retail and other sectors facing EU tariffs on products originating outside the EU, UK Politics and Policy Practice Lead Alex Dawson and Senior Director Stephen Adams examine how Rules of Origin requirements will affect eligibility for tariff-free access after Brexit and what this means for businesses.

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General Politics

Brexit Deal - what we know so far - 24 December 2020

General Politics

Stephen Adams
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This conversation is based on publicly available information and previous draft texts at 5pm on Christmas Eve 2020.

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The pitfalls of vaccine salvation

General Policy

Tom Smith
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As clinical trials for covid-19 vaccines begin to produce sufficient evidence to begin the regulatory approval process and scale-up manufacture, governments, especially in the UK, face a whole range of new challenges. Many will resemble those of the earlier phases of the pandemic and will be shaped by the experience of managing the first peak and the subsequent attempts…

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Brexit: deal, no deal, bad no deal

General Policy

Denzil Davidson
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It has become something of a ritual in the past three months for political leaders on both sides of the Channel to urge the UK’s and EU’s negotiators to work “intensively” to resolve the Brexit impasse. Following Saturday’s call between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen they are to work intensively again. But intensity of…

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An unlikely Trans-Pacific alliance? The UK’s case for CPTPP membership

Trade & Manufacturing

Elly Darkin
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When the UK and Japan finalised their new Free Trade Agreement (FTA) this month, Tokyo made a point of insisting that the agreement was a stepping-stone to UK accession to the CPTPP, or Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Joining the Asia-Pacific trade deal - which includes Japan, Australia and Canada among others - has long been a…

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Phil Hogan’s resignation: implications for EU trade policy

Trade & Manufacturing

Daniel Capparelli
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Phil Hogan’s stepping-down yesterday from his role at the helm of EU trade policy is sending shock waves through political and policy communities in Europe and globally. Many will argue, in hindsight, this was inevitable in light of his lack of contrition for breaches to Irish covid lockdown guidelines and quarantine rules in the so-called GolfGate. The affair highlights,…

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