Opening of Brexit Information Office: ‘Important to prepare and not to panic’

It will be recalled that the Government announced in August that such an office would open on 1 October.

Dr Garcia explained that the Government was working to a reasonable worst case scenario and against specific planning assumptions for a No Deal Brexit at the end of this month. He said that the political uncertainty in the United Kingdom did not help and added that this had led to different work-streams aimed at different outcomes. The first is work on leaving the EU with a Withdrawal Agreement, where the position of Gibraltar had already been protected. The second is work on leaving without such an agreement and the third on the future relationship.

The Deputy Chief Minister thanked the many public officials who were involved in Brexit work, particularly those in the Brexit Strategic Group, the Brexit Executive Group and the six resilience groups which cover commerce, the supply chain, public services, critical services, law and order, and health and social care. He explained that life outside the European Union would be very different, with different processes and procedures from what we are used to today. It was important to prepare and not to panic.

Dr Garcia also explained that some questions did not have firm answers at this stage, as a given outcome of Brexit would obviously have a bearing on the information and advice.

The office is located at 323 Main Street opposite the John Mackintosh Hall and will open from 9am to 3pm.

02-10-2019 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR