The UK risks crashing out of 40 trade agreements spanning five continents in the event of a no-deal Brexit, a business organization has warned. The Confederation of British Industry, CBI, said there were hugely damaging implications for the UK if it had to leave trade deals it has through its membership of the European Union.
France, Germany and Britain have opened a new channel for non-dollar trade with Iran to avert U.S. sanctions, although diplomats say it is unlikely to allow for the big transactions that Tehran says it needs to keep a nuclear deal afloat. Washington’s major European allies opposed last year’s decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to abandon the 2015 deal, under which international sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for Tehran accepting curbs on its nuclear program.
Almost a third of UK companies could move operations abroad because of Brexit, a survey has suggested. Research for the Institute of Directors revealed that 16% already had relocation plans while a further 13% were actively considering doing so. The IoD said it took “no pleasure” in revealing “these worrying signs”.
France on Tuesday rejected any renegotiation of the EU-UK divorce deal and urged Britain to make credible proposals after British lawmakers passed a motion instructing their government to secure changes to a key element of the deal.
The Queen has urged people to find common ground and to respect different points of view. Commentators say the remarks will be seen as referring to the Brexit debate, with MPs due to vote on the PM's deal for leaving the EU again next week.
The British government will remain committed to funding peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland regardless of Brexit, the prime minister has said. Theresa May made the pledge in a letter to reassure the DUP. It comes amidst strains in the relationship over the border backstop.
Spanish-owned bank Santander is slashing its branch network by almost a fifth, putting 1,270 jobs at risk. The bank blamed the closures on changes in how customers are choosing to carry out their banking. It said branch transactions have fallen 23% in the last three years, while digital transactions have soared 99%.
Senior Barclays bankers paid Qatar £322m in secret fees during the financial crisis in return for bailout funds, a court heard on Wednesday. The case against four former executives has been filed by the UK's Serious Fraud Office over Barclays' £11.8bn rescue.
Spain's minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, said he was confident that if no agreement is reached regarding Brexit, both the European Union (EU) and Spain will be prepared. During an informative breakfast, minister Planas stressed that the government of Spain is working to ensure citizens and is prepared to minimize the impact of Brexit on the agri-food and fisheries sector.
A UK parliamentary committee has called on the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to address concerns about the organization's standard for sustainable fishing in the world's oceans. The House of Commons' Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) issued recommendations following its Sustainable Seas inquiry, whose findings were published last November.