101 UK Brexit Notes

Connemara Programme October 16 2018 pg. 22 Certificate of Professional Competence The UK will maintain a CPC scheme. EU-issued CPC documentation will be recognised in the UK after we leave the EU. This includes both transport manager CPCs and driver CPCs. If there is no deal, automatic recognition by EU countries of UK-issued CPC would cease. When we join the Interbus Agreement, UK bus and coach drivers holding a UK CPC would be able to drive for work in the EU. If there is any delay to the UK joining Interbus (for example, if there is a time gap between 29 March 2019 and Interbus coming into force) then, as with Community Licences, EU countries may choose to continue to recognise UK-issued CPC in practice, but this cannot be guaranteed. UK legislation will continue to comply with the requirements of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) Quality Charter and the separate European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR). To drive for EU operators, drivers currently holding a UK-issued CPC would need to hold a CPC issued by an EU country. What you would need to do Access to the EU market In a no deal scenario, UK operators may be unable to access the EU. The risk of this happening differs by the type of coach service involved. The UK intends to join the Interbus Agreement as an independent member and the UK government is already taking the necessary steps to ensure that this happens once we cease to be a member through the EU. In its current form the agreement will provide access for occasional services in the EU by UK operators, so coach holidays and tours would be able to continue. Requirements on operators would be largely the same as the current EU rights – for example, a waybill would need to be carried. Unlike the EU rules, Interbus does not allow cabotage, so a UK operator would not be able to undertake work entirely within the EU. UK accession to Interbus would also provide continuity in current access rights to the eastern European (non-EU) contracting parties for UK operators. There is a greater risk of UK operators being unable to run regular services into the EU. This is because the proposed extension of Interbus to also cover regular services has not yet taken effect. If regular service running rights are included in time for 29 March 2019, or they are included at a later date, operators should note that cabotage (a UK operator picking up and dropping off the same passengers within the EU) would not be permitted under Interbus regular service rights. The government considers the likelihood of failing to achieve UK membership of Interbus by 29 March 2019, or very soon thereafter, to be low. But if this occurs for any reason, it would be likely that no UK operators would be able to take coach services into the EU at least in the short term. To mitigate against the risk of anything but the smallest gap in access rights, the UK would seek to put in place bilateral agreements with EU countries at the earliest opportunity to provide bus and coach access to the EU; the timing for this cannot be guaranteed. UK operators who are taking travel bookings which involve coach travel in Europe after 29 March 2019 may wish to consider contractual terms with their customers that allow them to subcontract all or part of the coach travel to EU-based operators if necessary. In order to minimise any potential disruption to passengers in that scenario, the UK will permit EU buses and coaches to continue bringing passengers into and out of the UK. This will ensure, for example, that EU tourists and students would not be stopped from visiting the UK if there is any delay to joining the Interbus Agreement. EU operators wanting to run regular coach services into the UK would need to apply to the UK for an authorisation, replacing the current system where they would apply through a body in their home country. Driver CPC Little will change in practice regardin g how UK drivers can obtain their CPC certification . The government is putting in place a CPC scheme to reflect the fact that we will have left the EU, but we have no immediate plans to change any of the standards that drivers have to meet and existing CPC qualifications will continue to be valid. The UK will continue to recognise the EU CPC for EU drivers, including EU drivers working for UK businesses. In a no deal scenario, possession of a UK-issued CPC would in practice continue to allow a UK driver to drive a UK bus or coach in the EU under the Interbus Agreement when the UK has joined as an independent member. However, if UK CPC is not formally recognised in future by the EU, UK drivers wishing to work for an EU operator may need to acquire a new CPC qualification issued by an EU country. Before March 2019 hauliers with a UK CPC who wish to swap to an EU CPC can exchange their CPC. To do this you should apply to the relevant body in the EU country you wish to issue the CPC. Borders and traffic management There are likely to be new requirements at borders with the EU if we leave without a deal, and there could be impacts for coaches using EU ports. In the event of delays, caused by increased checks at EU ports, the UK government would implement contingency arrangements to manage the flow of traffic. Further communications will be issued in the autumn.