Medilink North of England News 2019 Medilink NOE News 2019 | Page 8
BREXIT, THE TIME, THE TOLL
AND THE TRANSITION.
On the 31 October 2019 the UK could leave the European Union, in either a ‘no deal’ or a
‘negotiated deal’ scenario.
Brexit continues to be hugely politically divisive, and while it is clearly a central focus for
Westminster and Brussels, it is also having, and will continue to have, a real effect on the Health
sector. Issues such as migrant workers, material costs, EU and non-EU competition (i.e. China) and
of course EU wide regulatory frameworks, are some of many key elements that Medilink members
and the wider sector must consider.
Medilink has been asked by UK Government agencies to ensure Brexit updates and guidance are
supplied to our members, which we have been providing across recent months (please contact us
on [email protected] if you would like these to be sent to you). In this feature we have asked
some of Medilink’s partners to give you their insights on Brexit, and what it means in their own
areas of expertise.
Please contact Medilink directly using [email protected] if you would like to follow up with
any of the authors mentioned below.
WORLDFIRST
INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENTS HGF INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY SPECIALISTS
If you hadn’t planned around these for the
March 29th deadline then you now have
until October 31st to make the necessary
preparations. Think about dates and make
sure that you make the necessary changes
to accommodate the shift in timing – e.g.
contract dates that may have been enough
to tide your business over for a few months
may now no longer be fit for purpose. Think
too about receivables or bills to be paid
in foreign currency too that could rapidly
become more expensive if a hedging
program that rolls any protection forward to
maintain an adequate level of cover is not in
place.
Jeremy Thomson-Cook - Chief Economist -
WorldFirst The UK Government has provided certainty
in respect of registered EU trade marks and
Community registered designs.
Any registered EU trade mark or Community
registered design, as of the date of the UK’s
departure from the EU, will be afforded an
equivalent national UK right - essentially a clone of
the original EU trade mark or Community registered
design in the UK.
There will be no official fee for the creation of these
clones, and the process will be automatic.
So, in summary, it is business as usual. Particularly
while the UK remains a member of the European
Union, or if a deal is agreed and a transition period
commences.
Dr Frazer Bye - Patent Attorney – HGF Ltd
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