A Brexit deal has just been announced by the U.K. government and the European Union, with both sides touting it as “fair” and offering a promise of “certainty.” For designers, the bigger concern may be a lesser-known change affecting VAT (value added tax) beginning January 1.
On Christmas Eve, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson said of the agreement: “We have completed the biggest trade deal yet, worth £660 billion. A comprehensive Canada-style free trade deal between the U.K. and the EU, a deal that will protect jobs across this country. A deal that will allow U.K. goods and components to be sold without tariffs and without quotas in the EU market.”
The same day, EU President Ursula von der Leyen described the protracted, over-four-years-long negotiations as “a long and winding road.” She added: “But we have got a good deal to show for it. It is fair and…
