Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they to ensure that cross-border consumer protection data to inform national and international enforcement continues once funding for the UK European Consumer Centre ends in March 2020.
Delivering the deal negotiated with the EU remains the Government’s top priority. This has not changed. However, the Government must prepare for every eventuality. In the event of a no deal exit, the Government has committed to fund the UK’s European Consumer Centre for at least one year. We will use this time to assess the landscape post EU exit and determine the most effective way to provide consumers with advice about cross-border purchases.
In the event of a no deal exit, UK and EU enforcers will no longer be obliged to cooperate with each other under the terms of the CPC Regulation and Injunctions Directive. However, under the Enterprise Act 2002, UK public bodies will continue to have a power to share information they hold in their capacity as enforcers under Part 8 of the Enterprise Act with their foreign counterparts.