Brexit - as it happened: Government publishes tranche of documents on no-deal 'risks', including roaming charges and driving licences
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Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has published the second tranche of technical notes, outlining the government’s preparations for crashing out of the EU without a deal.
In the papers, it was revealed that UK driving licences may no longer be valid in the bloc and that vehicles made in Britain could no longer be sold on the continent in a no-deal Brexit scenario.
On data roaming charges for mobile phone customers, the detailed documents said the government could not guarantee that UK citizens using their phone in the EU would not be hit with higher charges.
But ministers said Britain’s biggest operators, including Vodafone and Three, have already made clear they had no current plans to hike roaming charges after Brexit.
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The Department for Exiting the European Union has started publishing its latest tranche of no-deal documents.
On EU roaming charges for British customers, one of the documents states: "In the unlikely event that we leave the EU without a deal, the costs that EU mobile operators would be able to charge UK operators for providing roaming services would no longer be regulated after March 2019. This would mean that surcharge-free roaming when you travel to the EU could no longer be guaranteed.
"However, the government would legislate to ensure that the requirements on mobile operators to apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while abroad is retained in UK law. The limit would be set at £45 per monthly billing period, as at present (currently €50 under EU law). The government would also legislate, subject to parliamentary approval, to ensure the alerts at 80% and 100% data usage continue."
The words "European Union" will be removed from British passports printed after March 2019. And those long-awaited blue passports will be in circulation at the end of next year.
The documents say, if there is a no-deal Brexit, UK driving licences will no longer be valid in the European Union.
UK organisations would not be able to access European Social Fund if there’s no deal, documents add. Current withdrawal agreement means UK would participate until at least 2023.
Responding to the release of the papers, Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, said: “A no deal Brexit would be catastrophic for people’s jobs, the economy and for the border in Northern Ireland.
“We are less than 200 days until we leave the European Union and the Government still has no credible plan for Brexit. The Cabinet should be planning to negotiate a good deal for Britain, not planning for failure or blaming businesses for the Government’s chaos.
“The only reason the Government is talking about no deal is because the Tory civil war on Europe prevents the Prime Minister from negotiating a good deal.
“With the clock ticking, Ministers should drop the irresponsible rhetoric and start putting jobs and the economy first.”
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