Brexit - latest GOV.UK updates

The latest updates are a bit more extensive than usual, and I've picked out some parts that should be of general interest. Some of the reports were made last month, so apologies if anyone else has already posted them.

I continue to be, I suppose the polite way of saying it is, 'amused' by:

A scenario in which the UK leaves the EU without agreement (a ‘no deal’ scenario) remains unlikely

Negotiations are progressing well

Mobile roaming:

In the unlikely event that we leave the EU without a deal, the costs that EU mobile operators would be able to charge UK operators for providing roaming services would no longer be regulated after March 2019. This would mean that surcharge-free roaming when you travel to the EU could no longer be guaranteed.

However, the government would legislate to ensure that the requirements on mobile operators to apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while abroad is retained in UK law. The limit would be set at £45 per monthly billing period, as at present (currently €50 under EU law). The government would also legislate, subject to parliamentary approval, to ensure the alerts at 80% and 100% data usage continue.

Travelling to the EU with a UK passport:

After 29 March 2019, if you’re a British passport holder (including passports issued by the Crown Dependencies and Gibraltar), you’ll be considered a third country national - under the Schengen Border Code and will therefore need to comply with different rules to enter and travel around the Schengen area. Third-country nationals are citizens of countries (like Australia, Canada and the USA) which do not belong to the EU or the European Economic Area.

According to the Schengen Border Code, third country passports must:

have been issued within the last 10 years on the date of arrival in a Schengen country, and have at least 3 months’ validity remaining on the date of intended departure from the last country visited in the Schengen area. Because third country nationals can remain in the Schengen area for 90 days (approximately 3 months), the actual check carried out could be that the passport has at least 6 months validity remaining on the date of arrival.

If you plan to travel to the Schengen area after 29 March 2019, to avoid any possibility of your adult British passport not complying with the Schengen Border Code we suggest that you check the issue date and make sure your passport is no older than 9 years and 6 months on the day of travel.

For example, if you’re planning to travel to the Schengen area on 30 March 2019, your passport should have an issue date on or after 1 October 2009.

If your passport does not meet these criteria, you may be denied entry to any of the Schengen area countries, and you should renew your passport before you travel.

If you are planning travel after 29 March 2019, and your passport will be affected by the new validity rules, we recommend you consider renewing your passport soon to avoid any delay, as the passport issuing service can get busy, especially in the spring.

Banking, insurance and other financial services:

EEA customers (including UK citizens living abroad) of UK firms operating in the EEA in the absence of action from the EU, EEA-based customers of UK firms currently passporting into the EEA, including UK citizens living in the EEA, may lose the ability to access existing lending and deposit services, insurance contracts (such as a life insurance contracts and annuities) due to UK firms losing their rights to passport into the EEA, affecting the ability of their EEA customers to continue accessing their services. This could impact these firms’ ability to continue to service their existing products.

Vehicle insurance:

Travel to the EEA:

we expect that UK motorists would need to carry a Green Card as proof of third party motor insurance cover if you drive to and within EU or EEA countries.

The validity of UK Green Cards in these countries is subject to agreements that need to be reached between the UK’s Motor Insurers’ Bureau and the relevant National Insurers’ Bureaux. These agreements ensure Green Cards are recognised and facilitate the settlement of claims for traffic accident victims.

You should expect documentation checks to be carried out when entering these countries.

You can request a Green Card from your insurance provider free of charge, but insurers may decide to reflect production and handling costs in a small increase to their administration fees.

Travel to the UK by EEA motorists:

If the UK does not have access to the Green Card-free circulation area on exit day, we expect EEA motorists would need to carry a Green Card as proof of third party motor insurance cover if they wish to travel to the UK with their vehicle. The validity of UK Green Cards in these countries is subject to agreements that need to be reached between the UK’s Motor Insurers’ Bureau and the relevant National Insurers’ Bureaux. These agreements ensure Green Cards are recognised and facilitate the settlement of claims for traffic accident victims.

Without a Green Card, you cannot prove you have the appropriate third party motor insurance cover and you would have to purchase local insurance in the UK (also known as frontier insurance). This would provide proof of third party motor insurance cover for a non-UK-registered vehicle in the UK for a limited period of time (period of validity varies depending on policy purchased). However, due to limited availability of frontier insurance in the UK, we recommend that you obtain and carry a Green Card to ensure minimum requirements for motor insurance cover are met.

If you don’t have proof of third party motor insurance cover, you would not be permitted to drive in the UK. You may also be fined or subject to other punitive measures.

Driving licenses:

If there is no deal with the EU, you may need to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in the EU. An IDP is a document which when carried with your driving licence means you would be able to drive outside of the UK including in EU countries. There are different types of IDP. Which one you need depends on which country you are driving in.

You may be turned away at the border or face other enforcement action, for example fines, if you don’t have the correct IDP.

You may also need an IDP to hire a vehicle when you are abroad.

After March 2019, if you visit and drive in an EU country, for example on holiday, you would need both:

your UK driving licence

the appropriate IDP

You would need both types of IDP if you are visiting EU countries covered by different conventions, for example France and Spain.

You would need both a driving licence and an IDP whether you’re driving in a private or professional capacity.

From 1 February 2019, the government will begin providing IDPs. From this date, you will be able to apply for both 1949 and 1968 types of IDP at 2,500 Post Offices across the UK. We will announce which Post Office branches will offer IDPs in early 2019.

Moving to or living in the EU:

NB: Read this carefully if you've haven't yet got a Spanish driving license.

If, after exit day, you become resident in an EU country you would not have the automatic right under EU law to exchange your UK licence for a driving licence from the EU country you’re living in. Depending on the laws of the EU country you move to, you may need to take a new driving test in that country.

You can avoid this by exchanging your UK driving licence for one from the EU country you move to or live in before 29 March 2019. UK licence holders who do this, will be able to re-exchange for a UK licence if they return to live in the UK.

EU driving licence holders, visiting or living in the UK after exit:

After exit day on 29 March 2019, arrangements for EU licence holders who are visiting or living in the UK would not change.

For visitors, with driving licences from EU or non-EU countries like the USA, Canada, Serbia, Japan and New Zealand will enjoy the same arrangements as today. The UK does not require visiting motorists, for example those coming to the UK on holiday or who wish to drive on business, to hold a separate IDP to guarantee the recognition of their driving licence.

Flights:

If the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 with no agreement in place, UK and EU licensed airlines would lose the automatic right to operate air services between the UK and the EU without seeking advance permission. This would mean that airlines operating between the UK and the EU would need to seek individual permissions to operate. EU-licensed airlines would lose the ability to operate wholly within the UK (for example from Heathrow to Edinburgh) and UK-licensed airlines would lose the ability to operate intra-EU air services (for example from Milan to Paris).

If there is ‘no deal’ with the EU, airlines wishing to operate flights between the UK and the EU would have to seek individual permissions to operate from the respective states (be that the UK or an EU country). In this scenario the UK would envisage granting permission to EU airlines to continue to operate. We would expect EU countries to reciprocate in turn. It would not be in the interest of any EU country or the UK to restrict the choice of destinations that could be served, though, if such permissions are not granted, there could be disruption to some flights.