UK publishes Brexit plans on goods and services

The British government continued to outline its negotiation strategy with the European Union on Monday, releasing plans for the handling of confidential information as well as goods and services when Britain withdraws from the bloc in 2019.

In its latest position papers, the government said it plans to ensure that goods that already exist on the market before Brexit should be maintained without restriction, and that any shared official documentation made confidential when Britain was in the EU should remain so on a reciprocal basis.

Last week the government published two position papers, one on customs agreement with the EU and the other on Northern Ireland's relationship with the Republic of Ireland after Brexit. Further papers are expected this week on data protection and plans to end the European Court of Justice’s jurisdiction over the UK.

Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis said: "These papers will help give businesses and consumers certainty and confidence in the UK’s status as an economic powerhouse after we have left the EU."

The EU has stated it will not move forward on negotiations on issues such as trade until the UK has delivered a payment plan for the mooted 75-billion-euro ($88.5 billion) "divorce bill".

In the paper on trade in goods and services, the government outlined plans to ensure that goods which are placed on the market before exit day can continue to be sold in the UK and EU, without any additional requirements or restrictions. Where goods are supplied with services, the government stipulates that there should be no restriction to the provision of these services.

In a second paper, the government stated it believes that any agreement on confidentiality and access to official documents produced or exchanged while the UK was a member state should be reciprocal, affording an equivalent level of protection to the UK and the EU after the UK's withdrawal.