Another false dawn, another extension and with the continuing drama in Parliament we still have no resolution on the key issue of remain or Brexit and on the way forward prior to 31st January 2020. Although it is not easy to predict Parliament’s moves at present it appears that we will be moving towards a general election in December and that NDD1 will not be put in place at 23.00 on Thursday 31st October.
For members of the profession certainty is key; without this we are planning for either status quo, no deal or any number of options in between. Scenario planning, that has been ongoing since the referendum in June 2016, continues to consume resources and costs and it is tempting in this current situation to once again pull back on the efforts necessary to ensure that organisations continue to operate successfully in the future. Indeed the Scottish Transport and Logistics Intelligence Group are proposing to put meetings of STLIG on pause for now until they see what transpires regarding a possible election and how that affects upon matters in the run up to 31st January next year.
Over the last two weeks, CILT has provided free resources to inform the profession on supply chain risk mitigation and customs impacts with a deadline imposed on us to complete this by 31st October. Despite the current lull we would advise members to keep planning against latest timelines and to update Brexit guidance notes, which we will continue to circulate via the Weekly Bulletin as they are released.
The wording in the EU Council decision of 28th October states “the period provided for in Article 50(3) TEU, as extended by the European Council Decision (EU) 2019/584, is hereby further extended until 31 January 2020. In accordance with Article 50(3) TEU and as provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement, in the event that the Parties to that Agreement complete their respective ratification procedures and notify the depositary of the completion of those procedures in November 2019, in December 2019 or in January 2020, the Withdrawal Agreement will enter into force respectively on: – 1 December 2019; – 1 January 2020; or – 1 February 2020”
Our consistent mantra and advice to members remains “Hope the for best and plan for the worst”.