Brexit. The UK border is coming back.

Businesses need to be prepared

Whatever happens in the next 50 days to complete the trade negotiations, one thing is for certain, there will be a border back on the UK.

So, if you do business outside the UK, or import from outside the UK there will be more paperwork and border checks, so you need to be prepared to deal with the additional requirements.

There is a transition period, so that the UK will not require importers of non-controlled goods into the UK to produce post-Brexit declarations or pay any tariffs between 1 January 2021 and 30 June 2021.

However, from 1 July 2021 imports and exports via the EU will be treated the same as any other non-EU state, such as the USA.

UK systems will be replacing existing EU ones, which will include a requirement that goods are routed through border control posts which may lead to delays. Businesses should factor into their planning what border control posts goods will travel through to the UK. Currently 85% of all EU trade to the UK goes through France, so some of the busiest posts will be along Southern England and more delays should be expected.

There are reliefs available that businesses may not already be aware of including Customs Warehousing and Inward Processing Relief, and where eligible these could be a blessing for businesses taking on the new requirements.

Central to the future of exporting and importing between the UK and EU is an Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number. Every business will need one to transit goods between the UK and other countries from January 1, and may also need one if moving goods to or from Northern Ireland.

Not having an EORI means increased costs and delays. If HMRC cannot clear your goods you may have to pay storage fees. It can take up to a week to get one in some cases.

If you have any questions regarding Brexit, please contact us

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