So a couple of days ago our company received this email message which does go on a bit longer but these are the first few sentences and one assumes they understand we can only give them a few seconds before deciding if the email is worth reading. So the words certainly gave us the impression that it is our responsibility as part of the construction sector to begin to prepare for the end of the transition period. Indeed given that this week is the first of the last three and a half weeks before construction closes down for 2020 the Government is certainly right that time is running out. However one would imagine that with less then a month to go, that our Government would be able to explain what the relationship with the EU will be. After all they told us that the deadline was October, then it was November and now it looks like December although that may being a bit naive given how long it takes them to resolve such matters. As they say on the website

You need to act now. The new rules affect citizens, businesses and travel to the EU. Make sure you’re ready for the end of the Brexit transition.

A bit lower down the web page they set out their list of announcements. The most recent one came on the 8th October which is described as a news story and its title is Government publishes updated GB-EU Border Operating Model and they have another news story from 7th August and then a press release from 13th July and the final one on their list came from the 27th February and it is described as a policy paper titled Our approach to the Future Relationship with the EU. Of course all of those policies came out before the plans and proposals for an Internal Marketing Act which is yet to be approved and which will cause the Government to change its plans from December 2019 and January 2020 as well as opening up a number of International law breaking decisions from them.

So perhaps our Company and the many thousands of other Companies that have been sent the construction email could be told exactly when the decision regarding the basis of our nations Brexit will actually occur and then we can pay attention to whatever the new rules will then be. Even though the website and email claims that there are new rules for the 1st January that is clearly nonsense or rather a waste of rules as once a deal is made, the rules will of course change. As for blaming the EU for not making a decision, it would appear as if the Government does not realise that us leaving and wanting to remain in a deal (or not) is not something the EU is responsible for as they are remaining in the same position which sadly we have chosen to move away from!