A formal meeting (oral evidence session) was held by Government about EU visa arrangements for creative workers. Tamara Cincik, Fashion Roundtable's Founder and CEO, outlined the challenges of working within the EU following the post-Brexit trade deal at this session hosted by the DCMS Select Committee.
Read MoreThe UK-US trade agreement is going to be vital for our sector's global survival if we see a Brexit agreement which limits our access to the all important EU markets of Paris and Milan.
Read MoreThe European Commission is waiting for a result, there are no more negotiating rounds planned, in fact the negotiating team has gone back to their usual, non-Brexit related tasks. While there have been reports that the EU would be willing to extend the Article 50 deadline beyond March 29, it is only possible if there is a request for such a step and additionally, a well rounded reason for the extension. The EU is waiting for the UK to identify a future path they want to follow. In the absence of such a plan or strategy, the Commission will not be extending the deadline.
Read MoreWe are in the final stretches of the Brexit negotiations. On 14th of November, the UK and the European Commission jointly published the draft Withdrawal Agreement (WA), the infamous 585 page document spelling out the terms of disengagement. The European Council, composed of the premiers of the 27 remaining EU member states, endorsed the agreement on Sunday.
Some of the withdrawal terms have been well known for almost a year, including the lump sum payment the UK will be making to honor its obligations towards the EU budget and other specific projects as well as citizen rights, which both parties will maintain according to existing EU regulations. On other issues such as customs, trade or the Northern Ireland (NI) border discussions were going back and forth as there were no adequate solutions. As it stands now NI will have a closer regulatory alignment with the EU and products coming from and going to NI will use the EU`s customs code, be subject to other single market rules including product certification and phytosanitary measures.
Read MoreThis is what we at Fashion Roundtable will be advocating for post-Brexit: a UK fashion industry which continues to lead in the exciting space where craft, artisan and ethical FashionTech coalesce into a transparent and truly sustainable fashion industry. We have to ensure that leaving the EU does not mean deregulation. We need a future vision where the UK is not an isolated island drowning in a pool of plastic and instead showcase one where any plastic we do create is reused to make something relevant and long-lasting, be that a shoe, a sock, or even a red carpet dress.
Read MoreWith the UK due to officially leave the EU on March 29th 2019, we now have less than 6 months to not only fully understand how the EU works, but what it does for those on the inside and what effects not being at the decision making tables at the European Parliament in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg will mean for the UK. Did you even know that the EU meets in not one, not two but three cities across Western Europe, with meetings for the whole Parliament taking place in Brussels and Strasbourg and admin being done primarily in Luxembourg? Second only to India for the size of the electorate, the power and impact of the EU cannot be underestimated. Educational programmes such as Horizon 2020 and Erasmus and key to its value, with the former acting as the largest EU Research and Innovation (R&I) programme with over €80bn of funding over 7 years between 2014 – 2020. The sheer power of this as an economic driver for advances in science, medicine, tech and the creative industries cannot be underestimated, creating a genuine single market for knowledge, business opportunity as well as R & I.
28 countries across Europe, soon to be 27, with a shared agenda across finances, IP and sustainable initiatives, creates a powerful trading bloc which represents over 500m people.
Read MoreAt first glance, politics and fashion are polar opposites, and political affairs may seem irrelevant to someone in the fashion industry, especially in the creative aspect of the sector. A designer or stylist might think they are removed from politics: except as Brexit shows, our previous freedom of movement for goods (textiles) and services (work in Europe) is a part of the on-going Brexit negotiations. Game of Thrones has been discussed in the Chamber (what you see on TV for PM’s Question Time where MPs vote) multiple times more than fashion.
Read MoreIntellectual Property rights within fashion form a crucial foundation to the industry and have the potential to generate material value for fashion designers. However, the impending loom of Brexit is generating widespread fear throughout the industry. Fear of what the effect of exiting the EU will be on UK IP design rights, and how this could damage the UK fashion and design industry.
The main concern is the potential loss of the protection provided by the Unregistered Community Design Right. This could, in turn, undermine the global prominence of events such as London Fashion Week.
The Department for Exiting the European Union has provided Fashion Roundtable with summaries of the White Paper chapters. The summaries include details on The White Paper itself and key points on how the following will be affected: professional business services; manufactured goods; framework for mobility; customs; cooperative accords.
Read MoreOur EU Expert, Eszter Kantor, provides us with the latest Brexit update including the European Commission’s publishing of Brexit preparedness notes and a roundup of what was discussed at Fashion Roundtable’s previous Brexit meeting.
Read MoreEszter Kantor, our EU Politics expert, comments on Theresa May’s recent efforts in Brussels and how her attitude towards the four freedoms may be relaxing.
Read MoreYesterday the Commission published a new Brexit preparedness notice for those with professional qualifications. This is the latest in a serious of guidance notes preparing stakeholders for a no-deal scenario. It impacts skilled professionals who have obtained a official qualification and use this qualification when accessing jobs in the EU. Our EU expert, Eszter Kantor, comments on this development.
Read MoreTomorrow marks 2 years since the referendum. Are we now seeing a movement on May’s initial defiant stance on Britain’s withdrawal from the single market?
Read More“This information highlights the problems with the UK government`s customs options. It shows that currently the UK is struggling to maintain an effective border control with this fairly simple border arrangement that we have today. The UK border ideas include a highly technological alternative which does not exist today and an option for Northern Ireland border control to distinguish and apply different procedures for goods arriving to the UK from those that arrive and go through to the EU. As we can see there are problems today with a high amount of fraudulent clothing and footwear entering through the UK border, these undervalued goods are not stopped and checked, meaning we don`t know if they are genuine Chinese brands that are dumped on the market below market value or counterfeits. More people and a more effective procedure is needed today on the borders to screen containers. The threat of continuous duping of Chinese goods particularly textile and footwear is very real.”
Read More"Why is the UK Government discussing options that a) will be rejected by the EU b) will not be possible to implement in the given time period?”
As in all negotiations parties go in considering their own best interest and asking for everything they feel they can and should have. It would be great to have a written position on the asks and offers of the UK Government as well. It seems for the time being there are statements made behind closed doors (in Brussels) and statements made in public (in the UK) and these two are not quite aligned yet.
Read More"While the EU and the UK is moving into the 'second phase" of negotiating a transitional agreement, it is clear that apart from high level policy agreements few details have been clarified and nothing has been written down. This is reflected in the very first point of the EU Council conclusions....
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