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Britain to Unveil £106 Million Package for Low Emission Vehicles

British prime minister will unveil another £106 million package for projects developing innovative green battery, vehicle and refuelling technology at the country’s first ever two-day Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Summit scheduled to be held from September 11, said prime minister’s office in pre-released excerpts of announcements to be made in the event.

PM’s with her ambitious mission aims to put the UK at the forefront of the design and manufacturing of zero-emission vehicles.


Businesses have announced over £500m worth of investment creating over 1,000 jobs across the UK, as PM hosts roundtable on accelerating the development of the zero-emissions market and driving more foreign direct investment into the UK.

As many as 11 countries sign UK’s new international declaration on low emissions, kick starting a new era of global collaboration at the Summit in Birmingham.

World leaders are expected to join industry experts, agencies, academics, and financial institutions at world’s first event at Birmingham’s International Conference Centre on Tuesday (11) followed by UK’s premier Low Carbon Vehicle Show (Cenex-LCV2018) to showcase innovative technology on Wednesday (12).

“Today (September 11) we have provided over £100m of funding for innovators in ultra-low emission vehicles and hydrogen technology. With a further £500m of investment from key industries in this sector,” said prime minister Theresa May said in pre-released excerpts of comments she is set to make.

“These measures will drive the design, use, uptake and infrastructure necessary for cleaner, greener vehicles – and in doing so, it will help us drastically reduce a major contributor to our global warming emissions, as we seek to meet the Paris Climate Change Agreement,” according to British prime minister.

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UK retailers welcome customs duty on cheap imports but criticise 2029 timeline

Highlights

  • UK to charge customs duties on all parcels from March 2029, ending exemption on items under £135.
  • Retailers warn delay risks making Britain international outlier as US and EU act faster on cheap imports.
  • Currently 1.6 m parcels daily benefit from exemption, twice last year's figure, costing UK revenue.
British retailers have welcomed the government's decision to charge customs duties on low-value e-commerce parcels but criticised the March 2029 implementation date as too late, warning it risks making the country an international outlier.

UK retailers face growing competition from ultra-low-cost platforms including AliExpress, Shein, Temu and Amazon Haul, which send packages directly from Chinese factories to customers' doorsteps while benefiting from a customs waiver on parcels worth less than £135.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the change would "stop overseas online firms from undercutting our high street" by applying customs duty on parcels of any value. However, the Treasury confirmed implementation would occur in March 2029 "at the latest", with consultation running until March next year.

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