BREXIT – Activities for which UK short-term business visitors do not need a work visa

In the Working Paper of January 20, 2021 , the Council of Europe provides some clarifications regarding the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. For short-term business visitors, Member States cannot require a work permit—unless a reservation is listed in Annex SERVIN-3—under Articles SERVIN 4.2 and 4.3.

The activities Short-term business visitors are permitted to engage in are:

1. meetings and consultations: natural persons attending meetings or conferences, or engaged in consultations with business associates;
2. research and design: technical, scientific and statistical researchers conducting independent research or research for a legal person of the Party of which the Short-term business visitor is a natural person;
3. marketing research: market researchers and analysts conducting research or analysis for a legal person of the Party of which the Short-term business visitor is a natural person;
4. training seminars: employees visiting to receive training on local business practices, limited to observation, familiarisation, and classroom instruction only;
5. trade fairs and exhibitions: personnel attending a trade fair for the purpose of promoting their company or its products or services;
6. Sales: representatives who take orders, negotiate, or finalize sales agreements for goods or services without delivering or providing the services themselves. Short-term business visitors shall not engage in making direct sales to the general public;
7. purchasing: buyers or managerial staff acquiring goods or services on behalf of their home-country enterprise during a commercial transaction.
8. after-sales or lease service: specialists providing installation, repair, or training under a warranty or service contract for equipment sold or leased cross-border.
9. commercial transactions: managers, supervisors, and financial professionals (e.g. insurers, bankers, brokers) conducting business on behalf of their home-country company.
10. tourism personnel: agents, guides, or operators attending events or accompanying tours that started in their home country’s territory.;
11. translation and interpretation: translators or interpreters supplying services as employees of a legal person of the Party of which the Short-term business visitor is a natural person.