Brand owners seeking to do business in Europe are well-advised to apply to register their key brands as trademarks. With the United Kingdom formally leaving the European Union as of January 31, brand owners seeking protection in the UK will have two choices: i) they can wait to extend their trademark registrations from the European Union pursuant to a transition process expected to be finalized in the year ahead; or ii) they can plan pro-actively to file UK trademark...

We have gathered together for this special edition of Brexit Business Brief 20 quick points you should know as the UK enters the transition phase to negotiate its future relationship and end its 46-year marriage with the EU. The next edition will look at the EU and UK opening positions ahead of the trade negotiations. 1. What changes on 31 January? The United Kingdom leaves the European Union at 11.00 p.m. London time on Friday 31 January 2020. It ceases to...

On 31 January 2020, the UK will formally leave the European Union, after over 40 years of membership. The UK’s relationship with the EU will no longer be governed by the EU Treaties, but instead by the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement agreed between the UK and the EU in late 2019. Following that agreement, the UK will be in a “transition” period, which commences the moment the UK leaves the EU and is currently set to end on...

The U.K. House of Commons has approved the Withdrawal Agreement. Assuming this is ratified by the EU, and Royal Assent is achieved in time, the U.K. will leave the EU on January 31, 2020, entering into a “transition” or “implementation” period during which most of the EU’s arrangements and legal regime will continue to apply in the U.K. This period is planned to end on December 31, 2020, leaving just 11 months for the EU and U.K. to reach...

Timeline for Brexit 2020 7 January Withdrawal Agreement Bill returned to the House of Commons. 9 January Third reading of the WAB and end of Commons stages of the WAB. 13 January WAB passed to the House of Lords. Although some Lords may attempt to amend the WAB, the House itself will be mindful that the WAB was a Conservative manifesto commitment. By 29 January The WAB will be law. 29 January (expected) European Parliament consents to the Withdrawal Agreement. Some point between 29 to 31 January The UK and the...

Von der Leyen Commission confirmed Wednesday saw the confirmation of Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission by the European Parliament, with 462 votes in favour, 157 against and 89 abstentions. Before the vote, von der Leyen presented her agenda for the coming years, outlining digitisation, climate change and financial services as her top priorities. Von der Leyen will become the first woman to serve in the EU’s top executive role with a team of 11 women and 15 men – the closest...

Key Events This Week Brexit is just a stage This week the European Council opted to extend Article 50 until 31 January 2020 to allow more time for the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement. If the UK Parliament passes the Withdrawal Bill, Brexit could take place earlier on 1 December 2019 or 1 January 2020. In Brussels Michel Barnier called for a close partnership between the EU and UK after Brexit, acknowledging that peace in Ireland must remain a priority and that...