1. Introduction

What does Brexit mean?

Brexit refers to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). The term is a combination of ‘Britain’ and ‘exit’. The process officially began after a referendum on 23 June 2016, in which approximately 51.9% of voters voted to leave the EU.

Negotiations on the terms of withdrawal dragged on for several years, and the UK finally left the EU on 31 January 2020. The withdrawal led to a transition period lasting until 31 December 2020, during which the UK and the EU attempted to negotiate a trade agreement and resolve issues concerning future relations. There were, and still are, transitional areas for various sectors (e.g. CE marking). Everything that has been built up in the UK during its 47 years of EU membership is now being fundamentally reviewed and, at all levels, politically and administratively aligned more closely with international standards rather than those of the EU internal market.

Brexit has far-reaching political, economic and social implications for both the UK and the EU and continues to spark a great deal of debate and disagreement. The costs of goods traffic have risen due to increased administrative burdens on exporters from the EU to the UK and vice versa.

This guide from the Timber Construction Initiative and the Forestry & Timber Cluster Initiative of the State of Baden-Württemberg offer SMEs based in Baden-Württemberg and their employees expert advice and support on issues relating to the export of wood-based products and services to the United Kingdom after Brexit. Ms Sabine Groeneveld will be available to assist you throughout the duration of the project.