2020 is set to see the most radical changes in North-South trade and East-West trade in 50 years. The UK leaves the European Union on 31st January 2020 and it has written into its laws, that the final withdrawal from the EU must happen on 31 December 2020, with or without a trade agreement. The Northern Ireland Protocol is to commence on the final withdrawal date, one way or the other.

This event will look in detail at the fundamental tax and legal changes in North-South trade that are due to take place at year-end and how they will affect businesses on both sides of the border. These changes will take place in the context of an even more radically changed East-West trading relationship in which Northern Ireland is set to find itself in a potentially advantageous intermediate position.

The re-establishment of devolved government in Stormont takes on greater significance in circumstances where the Northern Ireland Assembly will have power to make new laws in areas previously set by European Union law.

It is often forgotten that the Northern Ireland Protocol applies only to trade in goods and that Northern Ireland will leave the European Union for all other purposes. This will have profound consequences.

Among the issues explored in the event will be

• Brexit in 2020
• The terms of a likely basic EU UK trade agreement
• The Northern Ireland Protocol
• North-South trade in goods
• New Ireland - GB customs, VAT and trade barriers
• New Northern Ireland  -GB custom and trade barriers
• Potential Northern Ireland trade advantages
• Corporate tax issues
• Services and qualifications
• Immigration issues for EU 26 citizens
• Personal tax issues
• the Common Travel Area and RoI Citizenship
• New public procurement rule
• data protection
• Employment law divergence
• Environmental law divergence
• Agriculture and farm payments
• Level playing field rules
• Role of Stormont and the North-South bodies

Paul McMahon is a practising solicitor, tax consultant (McMahon Legal) and legal publisher (Irish Legal Guide). He also practised for many years as an England and Wales solicitor. He has worked extensively in the last two years on Brexit related matters and has advised and undertaken Brexit plans for businesses in most sectors, both in goods and in services.

Paul has written over 400 articles on all aspects of Brexit and published the websites Brexit (an Irish Guide) - brexitlegal.ie, the UK version Brexit Information- brexitlegalguide.co.uk and Brexit Solutions (brexitlegalsolutions.co.uk). He has also written and published the entire contents of unique guides to Irish business law, Irish Legal Guide- legalguide.ie and UK Law (An Irish Guide) - uklegal.ie.     

Key Event Details:

Venue: Cavan Crystal Hotel, Cavan
Time: 2pm - 5pm
CPD Credit: 3 hours

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