20 things we’ve learned from the government’s no-deal Brexit papers

While it’s a given we think that no-deal Brexit will be a disaster for the UK here are 20 points we’ve learned from the government so far:

• The removal of an EU ban on credit and debit card surcharges is ‘likely’ to increase the cost of shopping.

• UK citizens living in Europe face the possibility of losing access to their pension income and other financial services.

• Consumers would face another potential cost increase when online shopping, with parcels arriving in the UK no longer liable for Low Value Consignment Relief (LVCR) on VAT.

• Businesses exporting to Europe may have to ‘renegotiate commercial terms’ to reflect customs and other tariff changes.

• The firms may also need to pay out for new software or hire ‘a customs broker, freight forwarder or logistics provider’ to help them deal with new requirements.

• Companies exporting across the Irish border should ‘consider whether you will need advice from the Irish Government about preparations you need to make’.

• NHS patients may face delays accessing innovative treatments.

• Cigarette packet health warnings would change as the current images used are copyrighted to the EU.

• Organic food producers face a ‘cliff edge’ of exporting to the EU only if certified by a body approved by the European Commission, with certification taking up to nine months after Brexit.

• The Government is planning to recruit an extra 9,000 staff into the civil service to deal with Brexit, in addition to 7,000 currently working on preparations.

• The Government will pay for British aid organisation programmes whose funding could be ended in the event of no deal.

• Free mobile phone data roaming in the EU ‘could no longer be guaranteed’ – although Vodafone, Three, EE and O2, which cover more than 85% of mobile subscribers, have said they have no current plans to change their approach and bring in new charges.

• UK firms working on the EU’s 10 billion euro Galileo satellite navigation system could be cut out of existing contracts as well as barred from seeking new ones.

• Holders of legal firearms face additional bureaucracy if they want to take them to EU countries, because the European Firearms Pass would no longer be available to UK citizens.

• People trying to conceive a child could be hit by delays to foreign sperm donations as Danish semen made up almost half of all non-British male reproductive material imported to the UK in 2017.

• British drivers might need International Driving Permits (IDP) if the EU does not agree to recognise UK licences.

• Producers of dozens of types of British traditional foods, from Cornish clotted cream to Welsh lamb, may be forced to apply for new protected status from the EU.

• Bus and coach services to European Union countries could be suspended as no deal would mean operators could no longer rely on automatic recognition by the EU of UK-issued community licences.

• Pet owners may face months of preparation before a trip to Europe as without agreement and the UK becomes an ‘unlisted’ country and a health certificate would be needed to prove pets are effectively vaccinated for rabies.

• Passengers could face flight disruption as airlines will have to obtain individual permissions to operate between the UK and the EU.

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