1st Brexit-linked trade changes will be felt in April – Lithuanian vicemin

VILNIUS – As the United Kingdom finally withdrew from the European Union early this year, the first Brexit-related trade changes should be felt in April, Lithuania's vice minister of foreign affairs says.

According to Arnoldas Pranckevicius, any changes will be significant for Lithuania as the UK is an important export partner.

"The first changes will be felt soon. As of April 1, special certificates will be need for agricultural goods and food product exports to the United Kingdom," Pranckevicius told the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

"From July, these goods will be able to enter the UK only via certain border checkpoints where good will undergo checks," the vice minister said.

In his words, a year later, food labeling will have to be changed, but Britain has already set a transitional period until September, 2020 for that.

Meanwhile, for industrial goods to be exported to the UK, conformity assessment certificates will need to be received from British institutions by next year, and conformity labeling will also change.

"Otherwise, the Brits won't accept those goods, and permits issued in EU countries no longer be valid," Pranckevicius said.

The vice minister also underlined that the EU-UK agreement preserves equal competitions conditions for the transport sector which accounts for a major part of Lithuania's services exports to the UK.