Brexit deal ‘uncertainty’ for UK’s thriving classic car industry

The avoidance of a no-deal Brexit scenario has been hailed by the SMMT as “damage limitation” for the automotive sector in the UK.

The new UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) will at least offer some certainty for the new car market. However, things are less clear for classic cars.

More than 11 percent of all automotive jobs in the UK come from the classic sector, adding more than £18 billion to the economy. Negative effects could therefore be substantial.

HERO-ERA, responsible for organising leading classic car events like the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, has highlighted the challenges posed by the new UK-EU TCA.

Uncertainty for reborn classic models

These issues were raised as part of a wider report into the economic scale of the automotive heritage sector. 

The first concerns the status of classic vehicles being brought into the UK for repair or restoration. Whilst HERO-ERA notes that the UK-EU TCA text makes frequent reference to remanufactured goods, some areas are still unclear. 

For example, remanufactured goods are said to need to meet the “technical requirements that apply to equivalent goods in new condition”. 

HERO-ERA suggests that there is still uncertainty in this wording. It raises the question of whether a restored car would be expected to meet the safety or emissions standards of a brand-new vehicle.

Travel documents at the ready

As an organisation in charge of classic car events, HERO-ERA is naturally concerned as to what the Brexit deal means for them. 

UK citizens will be able to travel in EU countries for up to 90 days in a 180 day period. However, the new agreement is less clear on what it means for UK citizens working to arrange events, or possible exemptions from visa requirements. 

Filming classic car events may require special permission or payments. Pan-European car insurance cover is unlikely to be standard for all policies, too. 

Tomas de Vargas Machuca, chairman of HERO-ERA, commented that the scale of the classic car industry means it will be “important that when the details are tied up, this sector is not impeded by the Brexit arrangements.

“It will be crucial for the relevant departments to contact the leaders of the relevant bodies to ensure that this happens.”

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