No-deal papers highlight pressing need for certainty on talent and data
Today the Government released the first set of papers looking at the potential situation should a No-deal happen in March. This first tranche, some 25 notices, will "set out information to allow businesses and citizens to understand what they would need to do in a ‘no deal’ scenario, so they can make informed plans and preparations."
The Government goes on to say that a "scenario in which the UK leaves the EU without agreement (a ‘no deal’ scenario) remains unlikely given the mutual interests of the UK and the EU in securing a negotiated outcome."
We are yet to see notices on the key issues Ukie identified for the games sector in our State of Play report, namely, the status of EU citizens post Brexit, free movement of data across borders, or even the status of existing trade deals. We are still somewhat in the dark as to how best prepare for the key elements of life post Brexit therefore and this uncertainty is bad for business regardless of the eventual outcome of Brexit.
What we do now know is that there are a whole raft of potential hurdles, obstacles and barriers that would result from a no deal. Additional rules and processes both for businesses and consumers would have to be contended with including new customs regimes that would lead to delays, a harder time exporting, potential charges for payment processing, and even restrictions on new tech innovations being approved for use across the EU…
Obviously these are all things that the Government and the EU will seek to avoid as they move towards some kind of deal (it is in neither party’s interest after all) but it does paint a stark picture as to how significant this all is.
As the Government itself states in its preamble to these notices, it is their duty as a responsible government to prepare for all eventualities, including ‘no deal’, until we can be certain of the outcome of those negotiations.
These latest set of documents demonstrate the mountain we still need to climb as we approach March 2019. As a sector that depends on cross-border data flows, is powered by a global workforce and is at the forefront of digital and technological innovation, it is absolutely essential that negotiations proceed towards achieving a good deal with the EU. in the meantime, the uncertainty surrounding Brexit will only serve to undermine business confidence across the entire economy.
Ukie will continue to work on behalf of the games sector to ensure Government is in the best position to strike the right deal. Ukie have been working hard to establish an evidence base that means government is equipped with the tools to achieve this for our sector. Whilst Government clearly understands what needs to be done in terms of a deal, we are keen to see more progress towards achieving one.