The latest Brexit news
- Serafina Hills
- Feb 21, 2022
- 3 min read
What is Brexit?
It all started on 23 June 2016 when the U.K. held a referendum on whether to leave the European Union. People were divided, but 52% of voters voted to leave. It has been a long process, with three prime ministers between, but on 31 January 2020 the U.K. finally left the EU.
There were numerous reasons the majority of voters voted to leave; polls found that the most common reasons were “decisions that are about the UK should be taken in the UK” and that leaving “offered the best chance for the UK to regain control over immigration and its own borders”. At the time, the government received a lot of backlash for this final decision with multiple protests.
The U.K. government was not planning or prepared for a no deal as this was seen as the worst possible outcome. The no deal meant lots of significant differences in trade, goods, food standards, and more. If this occurred, it would also be somewhat complex to buy goods from businesses based in the EU because of various taxes that may apply to those living in the U.K. because of this no deal.
It almost happened, but luckily, on Christmas Eve 2020 the EU and U.K. finally signed a post-Brexit trade deal. There are still various implications of this, and it will definitely impact some parts of day to day life for those living in the U.K.
Source: The Guardian
The recent updates on Brexit
Whilst most fears and predictions were long before the unexpected global pandemic, many issues that were feared such as the raising of house prices have already occurred. This is not due to Brexit but to the pandemic.
There are still fears and some confusion, however. Travel to Europe is currently banned because of coronavirus but it is most likely that in 2022 there will be stricter border checks and U.K. residents will need to invest in a £6 Visa. As a tourist, you will now only be allowed to visit most EU countries for up to 90 days in a 180 day period. Slightly different rules apply to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania, though. You may also need extra documents to work or study there. The exception for this is Ireland.
There are now also some limits on what you can bring back from the EU to the U.K. Previously, you could bring an unlimited amount of most goods to the UK from the EU without paying taxes - known as 'customs duties' - so long as they're for your personal use.
But since 1 January 2021, this tax-free limit fell to goods worth up to £390 for most. There are also separate limits on the amount of alcohol or cigarettes you can bring in without paying tax.
Passports are also turning blue! But you don’t need to get a new one until your current one expires. However, to visit the EU you will need six months left on your passport or more, so it’s recommended to get a new one if yours is close to expiring.
Currently, data roaming is also free in the EU. This means that you can send texts and make calls free of charge in EU countries. There is no guarantee of this though, it’s completely up to the mobile providers such as Vodafone.
What to do
It’s important to stay calm. Although there are traveling changes and some mishaps with the trade deals, there are not major changes. If you research the regulations and make appropriate changes such as sorting out a visa, it should all be fine. With the pandemic, there is far less immediate need for these things so it’s nothing to worry about.
Sources:
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