Brexit and The Keyboard Company

A few words from Bruce on Brexit and The Keyboard Company.

As you will have heard The UK is in the process of leaving the EU.
Personally I find this sad and I would like to express my enduring respect, admiration and commitment to all our customers, suppliers and friends in EU nations. Indeed, to all peoples of EU nations.
I am not here to give political opinion, I will just comment on how we are affected in our job of supplying keyboards. The UK voted, the result is clear and we will now live with it, that’s Democracy.
Much is undecided as yet so I cannot give a comprehensive route map but here are my feelings and intentions for The Keyboard Company.
As a business, we only have much the same information as anyone else – so I am no expert.

Right now we are in what is described as The Transition Period.
This will run until December 2020 when we will be subject to whatever deal, or non deal is negotiated between EU and UK.
There is reason to wonder what that deal may look like and how things will proceed after December but while we are in transition
we are still fully in the EU for all practical purposes and can happily support our customers in EU nations as we have done in recent years.
So for now, nothing really changed.

I would only be able to guess at what our politicians may come up with as a deal to work with the EU after December.
My guess would be something along the lines of a Canada deal but there are bound to be changes of some sort and the possible permutations are many.
However, it is our intention to maintain our links with our friends and customers and suppliers in EU and we are confident we will be able to do so.
We have plans in place to open a subsidiary business within the EU block should the need arise.
So one way or another, please be assured – we will be here to help as we have always done.

It is highly possible under a Canada type deal that we will have access to the single market but will not be part of the customs union. This would put EU nations on a par with other nations that we deal with, and actually allow us to run one system for the whole world, rather than the two we now work with. In this respect I am hopeful that it will be more fair to all our clientele.
It will mean that we send goods to EU customers with no VAT added. And this VAT may, or may not, be collected by the carrier upon delivery of goods. I expect all electronic items will continue to adhere to CE, RoHS and WEEE regulations regardless of any deal so I don’t see an issue there.
But this is speculation. I will post again once we have some certainty. My main aim today is to assure everyone of our ongoing commitment to The European Keyboard Market. We have been buying and selling Keyboards all over the world since 1989 and although Brexit is sure to present challenges we have come through much strife in the past and we should be able to handle what may come now.

Let me know if you have any questions.
Bruce.