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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

So what happens practically between leaving the EU on Jan 31st and the end of the transition period in December?

27 replies

chomalungma · 13/12/2019 16:40

Do we need visa for Europe?
International driving licenses
Is the EHIC still valid?
Can EU people work in the UK still?
What happens with customs?

We will have left the EU - but what kind of things happen practically with the transition period?

OP posts:
evilkitten · 13/12/2019 16:43

All excellent questions. To which the detailed answer seems to be "we're going to get Brexit done".

chomalungma · 13/12/2019 16:48

I've been Googling and there's nothing about the transitional arrangements on the .gov website

There's lots about No Deal.

OP posts:
Parker231 · 13/12/2019 16:51

Should be no change during the transition period as the trade deals need to be negotiated- unlikely in the time available so I anticipate a hard Brexit at the end of December 2020.

eurochick · 13/12/2019 16:51

I thought the idea was that nothing is supposed to change during the transition period but we are supposed to use that time to negotiate our new deal (which is laughable to anyone with any knowledge of how long these things take).

BeanTownNancy · 13/12/2019 16:52

Brexit means Brexit.

Hope that helps.

DeathStare · 13/12/2019 16:53

People wander round the NHS sticking price tags on everything?

chomalungma · 13/12/2019 16:57

Found an expat French website that is more helpful than the Government

www.thelocal.fr/20191213/a-reminder-of-what-the-withdrawal-agreement-means-for-british-people-in-france

OP posts:
LeekMunchingSheepShagger · 13/12/2019 16:59

I don’t think you will find answers to those questions. But it’ll all be ok because brexit is oven ready.

GiveHerHellFromUs · 13/12/2019 17:01

I think we all have to do a test on which posts belong in AIBU, which go to Politics and when to post in Brexit.

EllebellyBeeblebrox · 13/12/2019 17:02

Simple, we just get Brexit done

Sprinklemetinsel · 13/12/2019 17:03

Come on now, let's stop all this divisive nonsense. Those are just minor details, what really matters is that we fulfil the will of the british People, and get Brexit done, because Brexit means Brexit.

chomalungma · 13/12/2019 17:05

hose are just minor details

This was a genuine question. Off to Europe next year and we will leave at the end of January.

I would like to know what I need to think about practically. I am sure there are other people who would like to know. Hopefully there will be some details in the Government website soon.

OP posts:
onalongsabbatical · 13/12/2019 17:07

Every darn thing goes even more to shit? Who knows?

CornishMaid1 · 13/12/2019 17:12

The answer is that, as it stands at the moment and on the deal we have, we would sign the Withdrawal Agreement ('the deal') to end our membership and then enter the transition period.

During the transition period, everything is meant to continue as it is at present (so no to the visas, still free movement of goods and people etc). It is at the end of the transition period that those are all theoretically meant to stop.

If the transition period ends in December 2020, then it should be no change until then and from the end date you would need your visas, there could be tariffs etc. What we need then depends on the deal we negotiate, so it could be complete change or all carrying on as usual.

The two big issues are that the transition period was originally meant to be about 2 years I believe to give time to negotiate a deal with the EU. As we have delayed the Withdrawal Agreement, we are going to end up with less than a year.

Even at 2 years, as a pp said, that does not give enough time for this sort of deal as they can take years, but we are not going to be able to sort it in a year. We do not have the people in place for it (after all it will cover everything we deal with from movement of people, rights, goods, defence, security, air routes and so much more). The EU have already said before that we do not have people with the skill to deal with this. We may have them in the country, but not in the government.

If you think, it has taken around 3 years just to agree to terms for leaving. That was the simple part! That is nothing compared to the scale of the deal we need to agree with the EU and they will have less than a year.

CornishMaid1 · 13/12/2019 17:15

I should say, all of that is on the basis that the Withdrawal Agreement is signed so we leave 'with a deal'.

If now he has a majority Boris decides to scrap all of that and we leave with no deal in January, then the second we pass that deadline we are cut off completely. Food stopped at borders with tariffs, you would need your visa (like any non-EU visitor), EIHC will be useless (the agreement will have gone).

Unfortunately you are stuck trying to plan for a minute until Boris announces what they are going to do now he has a majority and if they go with the deal they have or scrap it and have no deal.

Sprinklemetinsel · 13/12/2019 17:15

Practically speaking, I've basically not been anywhere for ages because I haven't got a clue and I don't like uncertainty.

ethelfleda · 13/12/2019 17:50

All excellent questions. To which the detailed answer seems to be "we're going to get Brexit done"

Grin

We will certainly have to listen to the government bleating on about Brexit still for the next god knows how long. So people who were sick of hearing about it will be annoyed.

Whattodoabout · 13/12/2019 17:54

All excellent questions. To which the detailed answer seems to be "we're going to get Brexit done"

Grin

Truth is, none of us know. Not even sure whether the politicians know tbh. It’s such a fucking mess.

bellinisurge · 13/12/2019 17:54

I actually needed to get an EHIC past couple of days and for complicated reasons needed to speak to an advisor. Two things I learned:

  1. There is a message while you are waiting telling you that the UK government is working on what whether anyone can rely on them post 31 January
  2. The advisors have to reiterate this when you speak to them.
fruitbrewhaha · 13/12/2019 17:58

It's oven ready, so just pop it in the microwave.

In reality nothing will change. We will leave the EU, which means we will have no members of EU parliament and we will not have any say in EU law, regulations, terms or conditions. But in order to trade, we will still pay in as much as we do now, we will still have free movement and we will still have to follow the same regulations.

scaryteacher · 13/12/2019 18:16

Are you off for a holiday, or to live there OP?

chomalungma · 13/12/2019 18:18

Are you off for a holiday, or to live there

As much as I would love to live there, it's for a holiday...
With the car
And wanting to bring back lots of booze
And take some food over.

OP posts:
bellinisurge · 13/12/2019 18:27

Get an international driving licence and travel insurance, op. Sorted.

bellinisurge · 13/12/2019 18:27

And you may not be able to bring back loads of food and booze.

NeverTwerkNaked · 13/12/2019 18:29

We will probably get a v hard brexit towards the end of next year. And some shitty one sided trade deals with other countries who held all the negotiating cards because they new we were desperate. Fun times.