In formal terms the UK left the EU on January 31. However, due to the transition period that is included as part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and the EU, nothing will change until the end of Transition Period – currently scheduled for December 31, 2020. This means that all existing rules will stay in place during 2020, such as free movement of goods, services and people, Union (VATpaid) status of yachts, and the existing immigration rules.
Healthcare
If you already have or obtain an EHIC card this year, you are likely to be covered up until the final day of the UK’s departure from the EU. Remember that the EHIC does not cover repatriation so travel health insurance is also needed. Also, if you change your residential status from holidaymaker to a resident of a particular country, then you must explore the implications for your healthcare cover.
VAT
CA Members have asked whether it mattered where their boats were on January 31. The EU Commission has stated that customs status of vessels post-Brexit will depend on their location at the end of the transition period. If on that day a boat is located in an EU port or sails in EU territorial waters, it will keep its Union status and continue to be regarded as having VAT-paid status. If the boat is located in the UK it will lose its EU VAT-paid status at that time.
The Brexit pages on the members' pages of CA website: https://www.theca.org.uk/rats/brexit_advice give much more info.
1 February 2020
Disclaimer
This item has been written by the Cruising Association. It has been prepared voluntarily by members and others and they and it have tried to ensure that the contents are accurate. However, the Cruising Association, its employees, contributors and relevant members shall not be liable for any loss, damage or inconvenience of any kind howsoever arising in connection with the use of, or the inability to use, these articles, save to the extent required by applicable law.