A Post-Brexit UK: It’s not all about blue passports, is it…?

We are in the thick of a period of economic and business uncertainty during which the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU remain to be agreed.  Brexit has already led to volatility in the financial markets and businesses now need to consider how best to plan for the future, minimise risks and maximise the opportunities that Brexit presents.

And on top of that, we now understand that British firm De La Rue has lost out on the contract to produce the post-Brexit blue passport.

What message does this send to UK businesses trying to do ‘business as usual’ both in the UK and in Europe…?

Until such time as the UK formally leaves the EU, EU regulations with direct effect in the UK will continue to apply, new EU directives will need to be transposed into UK law and the UK courts will continue to have regard to decisions of the EU courts.  And for now, there has not been a noticeable decrease in the amount of investment in the UK and in UK businesses – investors still need to invest and UK businesses with growth potential still continue to appeal.

But the decisions that will be made over the next 12 months will be critical in shaping the future regulatory landscape, particularly for businesses that are reliant on the European markets.

Brexit is happening – watch this space as our experts consider how a post-Brexit UK is going to look …

The forthcoming Oxford Debate on the issue, part of the FT Weekend Literary Festival to take place on 25 March at Oxford Martin School, will provide a thought-provoking debate as two leading experts on Brexit - former Foreign Secretary Lord David Owen and former leading diplomat Dame Mariot Leslie join in a discussion with the audience on where we go from here.

 As legal partner of the FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival, we are proud to support the Oxford Debates which will explore some of the most challenging topics of our time.