Free Webinar: Upcoming Brexit scenario development affecting the biocides industry

The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31st January 2020 and the transitional period concluding its complete separation from the EU ends on December 31, 2020. Whether the EU and UK will reach any agreement on a future relationship remains uncertain. All businesses, in the UK or in the EU, should be preparing for no-deal, or for a "light deal". Whether or not an agreement is reached, biocides companies will have to take measures to try to best preserve market access and reduce Brexit-related costs, such as:

• ensuring listing on the UK and EU “Article 95” supplier lists
• establishment in the UK or EU in order to become or remain an authorization holder
• negotiating required access to data access (as data owner and accessor)
• considering setting up/joining consortia for the UK biocides regime

These changes are unavoidable and stakeholders must prepare for them now. The timelines for action (such as submission of required data) to the UK authorities are short. In addition, companies will have to ensure the compliance status of the co-formulants in their biocidal products, under UK REACH and other aspects of UK chemicals law.

Aims

The aim of this event is to provide the latest updates of the upcoming Brexit scenario development in order to help product safety, regulatory, legal and commercial professionals understand what is changing for their way of doing business and the impact of Brexit on business operations from 2021. Join key industry experts from Steptoe who have worked closely with clients on the business impacts of Brexit, for a review of the latest developments and guidance on how biocides are affected by Brexit.

• Brexit: Where do we stand?
• Likely regulatory scenarios and consequences after the transition period:
• Data sharing & negotiations  
• Fees and costs
• Cooperation
• Strategies to be adopted in the UK - Lessons learned from the EU
• Q&A session

Darren Abrahams - Partner at Steptoe
Darren enables clients throughout the chemicals and life sciences supply chain to get and keep their products on the European Union market. He focuses on defense of products through strategic advice, advocacy before institutions and agencies, and litigation before EU and national courts and tribunals.
He has a wealth of experience with the EU regulation of biocidal products, plant protection products (agrochemicals), REACH, classification, labelling and packaging, GM food and feed, cosmetics, and endocrine disruptors. Darren is recognized Europe-wide for his Environment and Agro/Food practice by Chambers Europe, who quotes clients’ praise for his work: "he is very knowledgeable and experienced in his field - a very good communicator who is responsive and strategically savvy."

Hannah Widemann - Associate at Steptoe
Hannah advises clients on EU regulatory compliance questions in the areas of chemical and product regulations, including REACH, CLP, biocides, plant protection products, and fertilizers. Her work includes product defense and litigation strategies before the European Court of Justice and the Board of Appeal of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), as well as supporting clients with (data sharing) negotiations, contracts, and potential disputes. Hannah also focuses on EU decision-making (Comitology) and emerging regulatory developments, such as endocrine disruptors and the impact of Brexit on the chemical industry. Her background includes significant experience in International and European Environmental and Energy Law in both, academia and at the United Nations Development Program in The Gambia.