FRIDAY BRIEF

As we enter the last month of the year, we have another packed edition of the MTA Friday Brief with loads of news and information about a range of topics.

Before we get on to the articles in this week’s edition, we want to let you know that a new edition of MTA Update - our magazine format quarterly newsletter - has been released and was sent to all MTA members earlier this week. If you missed it, you can catch up at https://www.mta.org.uk/mta-update.

We have 3 items this week on the Coronavirus situation with advice on managing annual leave entitlements for staff who are on furlough, where to find the latest travel updates and, hopefully on a slightly lighter note, how to have Christmas celebrations in your company that are both safe and enjoyable!

Leading our Brexit news articles this week is the 3^rd edition of the MTA Guide to using the UKCA and CE marks once the transition period has ended - this edition will be especially useful if you trade with Northern Ireland where the rules will be completely different to the rest of the UK.

Also on the Brexit theme this week, we have an update on the regulations around dual use goods, some notes on the help/advice that is available from the Department for International Trade, news of a webinar being run by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and details of how to respond to UK public procurement projects after the end of the transition period on 31^st December.

The MTA Business Survey for November is open and there is still time for you to let us have your input via the web-site at www.mta.org.uk/mta-business-survey-nov20.

The main economic news this week was the PMI data for manufacturing which showed an improvement compared to November for the UK and most parts of the world with the exception of the Euro-zone where most countries saw the PMI edge down and France and Spain dipped back into negative territory.

In other economic news, we cover the latest results from the European Commission’s Economic Sentiment Index (this also includes their bi-annual investment outlook) and two sets of data from the UK Office for National Statistics looking at profitability and capital stocks - the latter includes some interesting international comparisons. Finally on this theme, the latest data-set for the Contract Price Adjustment service is now available.

We have news of a webinar from NPL titled “An Introduction to Material Assurance” on Tuesday 15^th – please see the article for more information.

Finally this week, two pieces of European news; CECIMO held it General Assembly this week and you can read the communication from that meeting in the article below and we have news from the organisers of EMO that they have extended both the booking and cancellation deadlines - please have a look at the article for more information.

So, until next Friday, when we will be back with more news for our industry, we hope you have a great weekend and, whatever you are doing, keep well and stay safe.

BREXIT UPDATE - DUAL USE GOODS & EXPORT LICENCES

The European Union (EU) is “modernising” its regulations for dual-use goods which includes many types of machine tools. You can find out more about this process from the press release that is on-line at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_2045 and there is a dedicated web-page with more details at https://ec.europa.eu/trade/import-and-export-rules/export-from-eu/dual-use-controls/ (although

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OPSS EVENT ON POST-TRANSITION, INCLUDING METROLOGY

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is hosting a Business Briefing to ensure you are ready for the new post transition rules coming into effect from January 2021.

This three hour event, being held on Tuesday 8^th December from 10am to 1pm, will provide a recap for businesses around product regulation and how its implementation will be monitored moving forward. The OPSS Chief Executive, Graham Russell will finish the session with a preview of their plans for the future.

The agenda includes sessions on:

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EMO 2021 - EXTENSION OF BOOKING DEADLINES

The organisers of EMO in Milan next year (4-9 October) have extended the deadlines for both the early bird booking rate and for withdrawing from the event for the loss only of the deposit.

Exhibitors can now take advantage of the discounted booking rate of €341 per m² by registering by 14^th February 2021 (this deadline was previously 1^st December 2020). From 15^th February 2021, the space rate will be €359 per m².

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SUPPLYING THE UK PUBLIC SECTOR

The way that opportunities to supply the UK public sector are advertised is about to change. From 23:00 on 31^st December 2020, the UK government will publish information on public sector contract opportunities in the UK, on the new Find a Tender Service (FTS) - this will be available at https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search (it is not available until the transition period has ended).

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NPL MANUFACTURER MEASUREMENT NETWORK EVENT

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) are running a free webinar on 15^th December 2020 at 3:30pm titled ‘ An Introduction to Material Assurance’. Confidence in materials is vital when designing and building products, and material evaluation through various techniques allows for that confidence to be gained. Research areas at NPL looking at material assurance include wear and tribological measurement techniques, mechanical testing of materials and microstructural characterisation.

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PURCHASING MANAGERS’ INDEX (PMI)

The Global analysis of the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for manufacturing produced by J P Morgan using the data from IHS Markit showed one of the fastest expansions in activity in almost a decade in November with the global PMI at 53.7, although it was briefly above this point at the start of 2018.

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ECONOMIC NEWS

European Commission Economic Sentiment Indicator and Capacity Utilisation, November 2020: The European Commission (EC) draws from a range of surveys to construct confidence indicators for six sectors of the economy and then uses five of these (financial services is not included in the ESI) to compile its Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI). Because of the data collection periods, the month is that in which the data is published, although it really refers to the previous month - in this case October.

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MTA BUSINESS SURVEY

The MTA Business Survey for November is underway and we would encourage all MTA members to take part. It only takes a couple of minutes to give your input (and you don’t have to answer all of the questions if you don’t want – although we hope you will of course) and the survey gives a good overview of the level of activity in the manufacturing technology sector.

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CECIMO GENERAL ASSEMBLY

CECIMO, the European umbrella organisation for manufacturers of machine tools and related Manufacturing Technologies, held its bi-annual General Assembly this week. You can read the press release below, highlighting how, even in trying times, the machine tool sector is an example of resilience that brings profitable business opportunities.

The meeting also confirmed that Marcus Burton MBE (outgoing MTA President) will continue as Chair of the Economic Committee for a further two years and Stewart Lane will remain as Chair of the Additive Manufacturing Committees.

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CORONAVIRUS - MANAGING ANNUAL LEAVE

The COVID-19 pandemic has added a host of new challenges when it comes to managing your people, especially when it comes to dealing with holidays and furlough. MTA Associate Member Citation’s HR and Employment Law experts have created this exclusive guide which takes a look at the key sticking points faced by business owners when it comes to calculating holiday for those on furlough.

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CORONAVIRUS TRAVEL UPDATES

The Government has updated its guidance on how to travel safely in airports and on aircraft during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and this is available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-air-travel-guidance-for-passengers.

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CORONAVIRUS & CHRISTMAS

Our partners at Croner have produced two sets of guidance for the festive season in the context of Covid-19. These cover:

Advice for arranging Christmas parties
New guidance for secret Santa activities

They are also putting on a webinar which will cover:

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MTA GUIDE TO UKCA & CE MARKING - 3rd EDITION

From 1^st January 2021, the rules around product marking in the UK market will change, although the change depends on whether you are in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) (GB) or Northern Ireland (NI). The latter will exist, a bit like Schrodinger’s Cat, in both the UK and the EU, although for regulatory purposes, it is treated as being in the EU.