• Are new labelling obligations, tariffs or longer delivery periods, etc., to be expected?
    Since the United Kingdom continues to be a full EU Member during the transition period, the existing rules and regulations continue to apply.
    In other words, the United Kingdom remains part of the European Single Market. The fundamental freedoms of the Single Market, including freedom of establishment and the free movement of services and capital, and the specific arrangements in secondary legislation, will continue to apply during the transition period.
    The United Kingdom must not adopt any rules that are not in line with EU law during this period. Thus there must be no tariffs or any new labelling obligations.
    As regards border controls, the United Kingdom is not a member of the Schengen Agreement on the abolition of checks at common borders. Therefore, it has never abolished border controls.
  • Will the transition period impact on trade with the United Kingdom? What will be the consequences for companies exporting products to the United Kingdom?
    During the transition period, EU provisions will also continue to apply to the business activities of German companies. German firms can export their products to the United Kingdom and import goods from there just like before.
  • What will change for companies that are located or have subsidiaries in the United Kingdom?
    Subsidiaries of German companies can, for the time being, do business in the United Kingdom according to the same European rules as before.
  • Can UK investors still rely on the free movement of capital?
    During the transition period, the principle of the free movement of capital continues to apply; this means that payments to and from the United Kingdom continue to be possible (e.g. SEPA transfers). As the United Kingdom is not a member of the eurozone, the exchange from euro to sterling is nothing new. German businesses can still invest in the United Kingdom and vice versa. Investment that has already been made is not affected by the transition period.