The UK Government recently indicated that it intends to negotiate a unique EU-UK relationship post-Brexit. It is hoped that the arrangements will be appropriate for the UK and London’s position as a leading international financial centre. A number of existing models have been discussed and will no doubt be analysed, with variations, by the Government. This client note sets out a framework for new opportunities which could be developed in the UK post-Brexit, by establishing a “financial free zone” in London. This would enable the UK to take a bifurcated approach to financial services post-Brexit. The UK as a whole could take an equivalence-based approach or other route to financial services regulation enabling single market access such that financial institutions could continue to provide services cross-border into the EU in a similar way to the present. Separately, the financial free zone could adopt a far more free-market approach to regulation within the zone, subject to tight controls on systemic risk. This would provide optionality to market participants as to whether they wish to do business cross-border at all. We discuss the characteristics and purpose of financial free zones and a proposed framework for the establishment of a London zone.

View full memo, Brexit: A Financial Free Zone Within the City