What is going on?

• 23 June 2016: the UK votes to leave the European Union in a referendum, with 52% of the votes.
• 29 March 2017: then Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50, meaning that the UK was on course to leave the EU by the end of March 2019
• 24 July 2019: Theresa May officially resigns as Prime Minister, and Boris Johnson wins the Conservative Party leadership
• 12 December 2019: The Conservative Party wins on a sizeable majority in the House of Commons
• 31 January 2020: The UK officially left the European Union at 11pm GMT, beginning a transition period and negotiations on the future relationship
• 24 December 2020: The parties reach a long awaited agreement
• 1 January 2021: The end of the transition period, and the UK and the EU are trading in accordance with the new trade agreement

The UK has left the EU

As of 1 January 2021, the UK and the EU are trading in accordance with newly agreed trading terms, and the United Kingdom has left the EU’s single market. Businesses looking to trade between the two regions must now digest the agreement and consider what it means for their operations and cross-border trading.  

For information on specific challenges and information for your respective sector or industry, you may find specific trade bodies a useful resource, as many of them provide Brexit guidance and advice tailored to your business’ specific needs. The UK Government’s “Keep Business Moving” portal will continually be updated with useful information as the negotiations progress and new information emerges.

Do contact the Chamber if we can help guide you in the right direction, we are very happy to help.

UK Government on the new relationship

The United Kingdom has left the EU’s single market and is trading in accordance with the newly adopted UK-EU trade agreement.

Keep Britain Moving (A portal for business on trading with the UK from 1 January 2021, as a business based in the EU. This portal will be continually updated during the autumn as further information on the future relationship emerges).

Prepare to import goods from the EU to Great Britain

Prepare to export goods from Great Britain to the EU

New immigration system: what you need to know

Agreements reached between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union

The European Union and Swedish governments on the new relationship

EU: Forging a new partnership 

Sweden: “Brexit och EU:s framtida relation med Storbritannien” 

Sweden: National Board of Trade Sweden 

Sweden: Embassy of Sweden’s theme page on citizen’s rights 

Sweden: The Customs Agency’s theme page on “Brexit – what does it mean for Swedish trade?” 

Other useful links

Confederation of British Industry: “Working together: shaping EU policy to solve shared challenges” 

Confederation of Swedish Enterprise: “Brexit” 

EU nationals should apply to the EU Settlement Scheme

If you’re an EU (Swedish as an example), EEA or Swiss citizen, you and your family can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021. If your application is successful, you’ll get either settled or pre-settled status. Learn more and apply here. 

Events and training

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce has continually hosted Brexit related gatherings for its members, across all sectors and industries. From Brexit Town Halls to more intimate Brexit Breakfasts for various groups, these forums have offered an opportunity for businesses to update themselves, share experiences or find solutions to joint problems.