ABSTRACT
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) came into effect at 11pm on 31st December 2020. The principle of the TCA is to lower or remove tariffs on traded goods between the two geographies. However, as a result of the TCA and choices made during the negotiation, a raft of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) also apply in a material and significant way to trade between the UK and the European Union. NTBs introduce significant administrative overheads and burdens that will almost certainly add to the costs and impact the running of UK construction, not least additional time risks.
