EU and the UK
date: 12/04/2019
17 UK SMEs awarded €50,000 of EU funding to bring innovations to market
Seventeen UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were selected on 11 April for €50,000 of EU funding to help get their innovations to market faster under the latest round of the European Innovation Council SME Instrument. The companies will also get free coaching and business acceleration services.
European Commission issues practical guidance to member states in 5 areas of "no-deal" Brexit preparedness
On 10 April, the European Commission took stock of the European Union's intense ‘no-deal' preparations and issued practical guidance to member states covering citizens' residence and social security entitlements, data protection, medicine and medical devices, police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters and fisheries. The measures will ensure the smooth practical implementation of EU and national contingency measures if the United Kingdom were to leave the EU without a deal, whilst maintaining a coordinated approach throughout any such ‘no-deal' phase.
EU prepared to support European farmers in possible "no-deal" Brexit scenario
At a press conference on 8 April, Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan stated that the EU remained focused on protecting the agriculture and farming interests of EU citizens in the event of a "no-deal" Brexit. For instance, the Common Agricultural Policy has existing tools that can be activated in the event of market disturbances acting as safety nets, such as public intervention, private storage, crisis prevention and risk management. The Commission also published in its Market Access Database detailed information on the rules the UK would apply to imports from the EU in the event of a “no-deal” scenario. Based on information made publicly available by the UK authorities, the database contains information for 121 countries and now provides the same level of information for exports to the UK as for any other EU third country trade partner, such as the US or China.
Full statement of Commissioner Hogan
Latest news on the Article 50 negotiations can be found here