Posted on Friday, December 25, 2020 at 8:16 p.m.
Finally ! As the UK has left the European Union, the two sides have finally reached an agreement. The specter of “no deal” is fading but the United Kingdom is leaving, this time for good, its former European partners.
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January 1, 2021 will therefore be a new historic date in the construction (and deconstruction) of the European Union. What will this change for us?
First, let’s pinpoint what’s not going to change. In any case, not right away. We can continue to take the Eurostar or the trunk to travel to the UK with our ID card. And this for holidays or periods of stay which cannot exceed six months. No visa is needed therefore, at least until October 1, 2021. On this date, the British will apply for a valid passport. In principle: it could still change by then.
What will not change either is what we call roaming charges for calls, SMS or data with your phone. For the moment, there is none. Unless you call from Belgium to the United Kingdom. According to Belgian operators, this will remain the case.
What changes
On January 1, 2021, it will be the end of free movement between the United Kingdom and the European Union. To be able to live and work on the other side of the Channel, you will need to obtain a work permit.
Be careful too, if you are traveling. According to the Belgian Foreign Affairs website, “from December 31, 2020, the European Health Insurance Card will no longer be valid”. It is therefore better to get information from your mutual or take out insurance.
Goods traffic will be more complicated from January 1, 2021. Customs declarations will once again be compulsory … even if no customs duties will apply. Europe is therefore leaving its market of 450 million consumers open, but under certain conditions. There is no question, for example, that British companies will tax dumping to make their products cheaper. Said products will also have to comply with environmental and labor law rules. State aid will also be regulated.
This will complicate life for our businesses a bit. This Friday, the Walloon Minister of the Economy, Willy Borsus, recalled all the aid from which Walloon companies (logistics in particular) can benefit within the framework of Brexit.
Another change, which concerns young people: the United Kingdom is leaving the Erasmus exchange program. Current Erasmus students will not be affected (but they are already affected by the Covid …)
In the agreement presented Thursday, there is a question of a very symbolic point: fishing. The 27 have pledged to cut their fishing by 25% in UK waters by June 2026.
It should also be noted that the Scottish Prime Minister has said that it is time for her country to gain independence. A first step towards an application for Scotland to join the European Union.
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