Clifford Chance launches Brexit ‘hotline’ for confused clients
Clifford Chance has launched a Brexit ‘hotline’ to help clients with last minute Brexit preparations in the face of continued uncertainty.
The hotline will operate from today until 4 January, and will help to answer client’s Brexit questions on the likes of contracts, supply chains, treasury, passporting, HR and international property.
With less than two weeks before the transition period comes to an end, Britain and the UK have still not secured a Brexit deal.
Just today the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the possibility of a deal “is here”, but the path to secure it “is very narrow”, adding there was “just a few hours” left to do a deal.
Talks between the UK and EU remain stalled over the same stumbling blocks that have choked negotiations for the past few months, including fisheries, so-called level playing field arrangements and state aid.
If a deal is not reached by the end of the year, the UK will crash out of the EU on World Trade Organisation trading terms, which means tariffs will be placed on goods and services moving to the EU from the UK, and vice versa.
Clifford Chance said it is impossible to know where disruption will land, given the uncertainties still surrounding Brexit. With that said, the magic circle law firm believes the biggest disruption is likely to centre on the future of London as Europe’s financial hub, border issues, data adequacy and Northern Ireland.