The UK will receive access to most of the digital systems supporting trade with the EU until 2021 under the draft agreement on the terms of Brexit.
But the draft says the UK will have to pay a currently unspecified amount for the access.
It also extends access to selected databases to dates up to 2026.
The draft states that the UK will have to take appropriate measures to ensure it is no longer be able to access any information system or database established under EU law after the end of the transition period.
A further clause requires the UK to reimburse the costs of access to the EU, receiving the bill on 31 March each year for which it continues to apply.
Among the databases to which the 2021 data applies are the Import and Export Control Systems and the Tariff Surveillance System. The deadline will also apply to the Common Communication Network.
Among the few systems for which access will be open for longer are the VAT Information Exchange System (December 2024) and the Administrative cooperation database on VAT (December 2024). The latest will be the Own Resources reporting system for cases of fraud up to February 2026.
Assuming the draft is accepted by the UK Parliament and EU member states it will ease fears about a chaotic situation developing around trade information and documentation when Brexit takes place in March of next year.
In July it was revealed that the EU was running a workstream on quickly terminating UK access to its databases if no agreement was reached.
Image by Dave Kellam (flickr: Flagging Support) CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
