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  • Armelle Omnès Avocate Rennes
  • Armelle Omnès Avocate Rennes

A Omnès | english-speaking Lawyer

Assistance, Advice and Counsel for Businesses and Individuals

Brexit and your situation

As of 1st of February 2020, the United Kingdom is no longer a member state of the European Union ; this will have repercussions on the lives of most British citizens living in France.

The transition period
In order to cushion the immediate impact of this event on for example, businesses and individuals, since the 1st of February 2020 the two parties have agreed to observe the transition period. During this time the same arrangements as before are operating between the EU and the UK, which will come to an end 31 December 2020.

Now the negotiations start
3 years were needed to agree the terms of the transition period. During 2020 the actual future trade deal and relationship will be negotiated, with the ambitious goal of Boris Johnson and his government, to have the negotiations concluded by the end of this year.

An opportunity to prepare
With the rest of 2020 ahead, British nationals living and working in France and French citizens with significant interests in the UK must use the months ahead to be best prepared for the changes to come, according to official advice currently available.

The uncertainty continues
As one can imagine, an international relationship fashioned over 40 years will be complex to untangle and reconstruct before 31 December 2020. The current advice given by governments on both sides are based on estimates and projections, so it is quite possible adaptations will have to be made during the months to come.

Stay informed
Get in touch with me for advice on developments during this decisive period, and to avoid pitfalls with your encounters with administrations, and to lessen the impact of uncertainty.

Key dates to remember

25 February 2020
European ministers will meet in Brussels to decide a negotiating position for Michel Barnier.

26-27 march 2020
Meeting of the Council of Europe

June 2020
A summit between the EU and the UK is expected to take place in order to finalise the terms of the new trading relationship which will come into force 1st January 2021.

18-19 June
Meeting of the Council of Europe

1 July 2020
The 1st of July is the cut off date beyond which the transition period can no longer be extended. It must be noted that the EU, signalling the complexity of the issues involved, recommended flexibility over the length of the transition period. The British government has rejected the idea of a further extension, declaring its resolve to have all negotiations completed by 31 December 2020 and if not, its full intention to adopt default WTO rules.

15-16 October 2020
Meeting of the Council of Europe

26 November 2020
MEPs will meet for their penultimate plenary session of 2020. On order to ratify the trade agreement by the 31st December 2020 (it must already be finalised, checked and translated) must be put before the MEPs at this time.

10-11 December 2020
Meeting of the Council of Europe

31 December 2020
The transition period will come to an end and the trade agreement agreed between the EU and the UK will enter into force. In the case of no agreement having been reached, the following relationship will be based on default WTO rules.

European Commission advisory documents

The House of Commons Library

London School of Economics

The Guardian

The Financial Times £ wall

The Economist £ wall

Where I practice
Based in Rennes, principally I work in the West of France, in all four departments of Brittany, Ille et Vilaine, Côtes D'Armor, Morbi- han, Finistère, and in neighbouring Loire-Atlantique, Mayenne, Manche and Calvados.

In the main towns and cities: Rennes, Nantes, Angers, Fougères, Mayenne, Saint-Malo, Dinan, Dinard, Morlaix, Vannes, Saint-Brieuc, Lorient, Saint Nazaire, Avranches, Caen, Cherbourg, Laval.

Paris and region.