British Retail Consortium (BRC) has welcomed the greater clarity that is emerging on how goods placed onto market before Brexit could be traded and moved between the UK and EU markets after Brexit. The UK government has outlined its position and principles in ensuring a smooth and orderly withdrawal from the EU in regard to availability of goods.

The Position Paper on ‘Continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK’ released by the UK government proposes four principles. First, goods placed on the Single Market before exit should continue to circulate freely in the UK and the EU, without additional requirements or restrictions.

Second, where businesses have undertaken compliance activities prior to exit, they should not be required to duplicate these activities. Third, the agreement should facilitate the continued oversight of goods. Lastly, where the goods are supplied with services, there should be no restriction to the provision of these services that could undermine the agreement on goods.

The four key principles are aimed at providing legal certainty, while avoiding disruption to business and consumers in regard to the availability of goods. “They represent a starting point for enabling a smooth and orderly withdrawal, and moving to a deep and special future partnership, which enables our close trading relationship to continue to flourish,” says the paper.

Responding to the government’s position paper, William Bain, Policy Adviser – Europe and International, BRC said, “It is a sensible suggestion for goods, including food products, which have undergone all necessary compliance checks before Brexit happens, to be able to be traded freely and safely afterwards without unnecessary regulatory duplication.

“If the UK Government and EU Commission could reach agreement this would remove the risk of goods being left in a legal limbo across key supply and sourcing chains in early 2019. The BRC is committed to campaigning for a Fair Brexit for Consumers. Ensuring the free flow of goods is one of the key ways in which consumer choice can be maintained, but prices can stay as low as possible.”