UK signs Services Mobility Agreement with Switzerland
On Friday the Government announced that the UK signed a Services Mobility Agreement (SMA) with Switzerland. The SMA will allow UK professionals to work in Switzerland for up to 90 days without a work permit as per current rules. Currently, if a UK service provider wants to provide services in Switzerland for 90 days or less, they can use an online notification provider and there is no requirement to get a work permit. This provision will be retained. In return, Swiss professionals will be able to deliver contracts in the UK in skilled sectors through the Tier 5 International Agreement visa. The agreement covers a number of sectors, including tourism and creative industries.

The SMA contains a non-binding provision to encourage UK and Swiss regulatory bodies to develop a comprehensive agreement on the recognition of professional qualifications for service suppliers working in each other’s markets. The agreement sets out a timeframe and programme of work on MRPQ (Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications).

The initial agreement will last for two years to ensure continuity immediately after the transition period. Further information is available on GOV.UK.

Other Government updates
The Visiting the UK after Brexit page has been updated to say that people will not be able to use the List of Travellers scheme to visit the UK from 1 October 2021.

Letter to the tourism and hospitality sector on actions to take to prepare for our new relationship with the EU

With just over a month to go until the end of the BREXIT transition period, a letter has been published from the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, to the tourism and hospitality sector urging businesses to take action now to prepare for our new relationship with the EU. The letter outlines what you need to do by 1 January 2021 along with a list of top actions.

See the letter and visit gov.uk/tourism-2021 for further information.

VAT Retail Export Scheme Campaign

Lobbying work continues on getting the Government to reconsider the decision to end the VAT Retail Export Scheme when the UK leaves the EU at the end of the year. Ending the scheme, rather than extending it to visitors from the RU, will have a considerable impact on tourism especially from high value markets such as China and the Middle East.

Attached is a fact sheet on just how considerable the impact this will have on tourism jobs and revenue. The key message is that if the Government extended the scheme to EU visitors rather than abolishing it, this would generate:

• over 1.3 million more visitors
• £1.9 billion
• more than 28,000 jobs

If you have an opportunity to raise this with officials, MPs or Ministers, that would be greatly appreciated

Changes in Food Labelling and Logos

This guidance will be of interested to businesses that produce their own food products, especially in rural and seaside areas.

• Country of Origin labels

From 1 January, food from GB must not be labelled as ‘origin EU’ (there is an exemption for Northern Ireland) and you cannot use the EU emblem on goods produced in Great Britain unless you have been authorised by the EU to do so – this includes accreditation schemes like the EU organic logo. There is specific guidance for a range of produce including honey, eggs, fruit and vegetables and meat.

• Geographical Indication Logos

The UK will be setting up its own GI schemes from 1 January 2021 to replace the European Scheme. If you produce food, drink and agricultural GI products registered before 1 January 2021, you have until 1 January 2024 to change packaging and marketing materials to display the new UK GI logos. However, from 1 January 2021, the UK logo will be mandatory for any new product.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/food-and-drink-labelling-changes-from-1-january-2021?utm_source=5f68731e-0435-4b0d-8570-65c60aff3c36&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=daily#history

Data Protection Campaign

The Government has just published the attached Partner Pack for a new campaign to make sure that businesses prepare for new data protection requirements that will result from the UK leaving the EU at the end of the year. The three key messages of this are:

• If you’re a business or organisation that receives personal data from the EU/EEA, you must check if you need to take action on data protection to ensure data can flow lawfully from January 1st 2021.
• Visit GOV.UK to find out how you can lawfully continue to receive personal data such as names, addresses or payroll details from organisations in the EU or EEA from January 2021.
• Sign up to the Information Commissioner Office (ICO) newsletter for up-to-date information on steps you can take to ensure that personal data you receive from the EU/EEA can flow lawfully from January 2021.

HMRC Letter to VAT Businesses

HMRC will be writing to all VAT registered businesses next week explaining what they need to do to prepare. The letter specifically urges businesses to:

• decide how they are going to deal with customs declarations – most companies use a specialist for this;
• check to see whether they might be able to delay your declarations and duty payments; they may be eligible for this if their goods are not on the controlled goods list and they do not have a poor compliance record
• register for the free Trader Support Service if they plan to move goods into Northern Ireland.

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New Points Based Immigration System

I’m attached a couple of slide presentations from a meeting I attended with the Home office on how the new Points Based System applies to SMEs. This is a good resource for sending to businesses to explain the system and what they need to do if they want to employ someone from overseas.

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The Tourism Sector From January 2021

This is another link worth bookmarking. DCMS have put together a collection of guidance document’s specifically related to the operation of tourism businesses and activities from 1 January 2021. This includes guidance and policy papers on

• Visiting Europe
• Visiting the UK
• Settlement Scheme
• Data Management
• The eCommerce Directive
• The Movement of Goods

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-tourism-sector-from-january-2021?utm_source=0c9ac37a-4126-4453-8992-16ed15060bdc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate 

Arts, Culture and Heritage Collection

DCMS have also put together a collection of guidance for the arts, Culture and Heritage Sectors. The topis covered by this collection are:

• Employees
• Data
• Visiting Europe
• eCommerce Directive
• Movement of goods
• EU Funding
• Recruiting from outside the UK
• Global Talent Visa

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-arts-culture-and-heritage-sectors-from-january-2021?utm_source=44eb604c-cf54-4c1c-87d2-e7f27db5da3b&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

And one for the Gambling/Gaming Sector with the following topics:

• Employees
• Data
• Visiting Europe
• Your organisation and services
• Movement of goods

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-gambling-sector-from-january-2021?utm_source=69fe832a-6391-4c15-b541-14b19b90ec41&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

                And one for the Creative Sector with:

• Employees
• Data
• Visiting Europe
• Your organisation and services
• Movement of goods
• EU Funding

The End of Transition Period guidance for the tourism sector has been published, the guidance covers:
1. Visiting Europe: Guidance for tourism businesses to share with their outbound customers covering passports; travel insurance; having the right documentation to drive in the EU and organising pet travel.
2. Visiting the UK: Guidance for tourism businesses to share with their international customers covering entry to the UK (including school groups); what you can bring into the UK; healthcare in the UK; driving in the UK and mobile roaming.
3. The Border Operating Model: Updated guidance provides further detail for businesses and passengers on how the GB-EU border will operate after the end of the transition period
4. Impacts on employees: the EU Settlement Scheme and selling services to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein from 1 January 2021
5. Data: encouraging businesses to check if they need to change the way that they receive personal data from the EU/EEA.
6. Encouraging businesses to check the impact on any services that they provide to organisations or individuals based in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, including for ecommerce and eu domain names.
7. Moving goods: From 1 January 2021 businesses will need an EORI number to move goods between Great Britain and the EU. They may also need one if they move goods to or from Northern Ireland. This is likely to be most relevant to events and conference organisers and the hospitality sector. The guidance covers who needs an EORI number and how to apply for one, as well as guidance on taking goods temporarily out of the UK.

DCMS is continuing to seek clarity on issues that are of significance to the tourism sector (e.g. reciprocal healthcare, labour mobility, cross-border transport) and will provide updates as when this is received.