Update: UK Government is reviewing Brexit fuel tariffs following refinery closure concerns

THE UK Government is reviewing plans to remove tariffs from imported fuels, the BBC reports, after warnings that two refineries might be forced to close when the UK leaves the EU.

Michael Gove, the Minister in Charge of No Deal Planning for Brexit, told BBC Wales that the tariff schedule was prepared under the former government and it is being reviewed and “will be published shortly in its full form”.

Though Gove did note that the plans could remain unchanged: "I don't want to give anyone the impression that any particular tariff line is going to change… but we will have a new publication of all our tariff lines shortly," he said.

A leaked government contingency planning report has warned that in the event of a no-deal Brexit fuel tariffs would make UK petrol exports to the EU uncompetitive. It is expected that the EU will apply a 4.7% tariff on UK fuel exports, while the government’s existing plans are to set 0% tariffs on fuels coming into the UK. The resulting losses would close two of the UK’s six refineries and the loss of 2,000 jobs, the report warned.

While refining experts have cast doubts that the existing plans would be so bad as to force refinery closures, the UK Petroleum Industry Association has called for the government to address the disparity.