Brexit Business Resources: Helplines, Covid Testing and Data Protection
Traders must act now
Michael Gove, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, urges traders to ensure that they are fully ready with the new rules for trading with the European Union.
Traders are urged to ensure that they are fully ready with the new trading rules, as lorries expected at the GB-EU border, are expected to reach pre-Christmas levels this week. While compliance with the new rules remains high, an increase in border traffic raises the possibility of disruption.
Exporters must provide the right documentation to hauliers,
including export declarations and the extra certificates needed for products, like plant and animal products,
hauliers heading to Kent must get a negative Covid test and
obtain a Kent Access Permit before heading to port, or risk facing a fine and being turned away.
For more information, click here.
Letter from Minister Scully on Covid testing for Hauliers
Paul Scully MP, wrote to businesses yesterday, about Covid testing for hauliers before leaving the UK for France. The letter urges businesses to discuss with any haulage companies that they work with, that they have plans in place, to ensure that hauliers have tested negative within 72 hours prior to travel.
To view the full text of the letter, click here.
An introductory guide to Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing in workplaces has been published and is available to view here.
The eCommerce Directive and the UK
The eCommerce Directive no longer applies to the UK, now that the transition period is over.
Rules relating to online activities in European Economic Area (EEA) countries, may newly apply to UK online service providers who operate in the EEA, now that the transition period is over. If you are a provider of online services, you should take steps in response to these changes.
Guidance, outlining what has changed and what checks you need to make, has been issued.
For more information, click here.
Trade
UPDATED: The UK sanctions list: The list of individuals, entities and ships designated or specified under regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and why, has been updated, with amendments to some designations. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Trade with Japan from 1 January 2021: Guidance on how you import and export with Japan has been updated, with new information on small consignment and waivers. For more information, click here.
Helplines
There are new rules for businesses doing business with the EU from 1 January, and you need to take action now. To help you, a helpline has been set up. For English businesses, the Business Support Helpline can help you identify the actions you need to take. Similar helplines are available for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
For more information for:
businesses in England, call 0800 998 1098
businesses in Scotland, call 0300 303 0660
businesses in Wales, call 0300 060 3000
businesses in Northern Ireland, call 0800 181 4422.
For more information, including opening hours, click here.
Moving Goods
NEW: Moving goods between the UK and Ireland: Those who move goods between the UK and Ireland need to complete a Pre-Boarding Notification using the Irish Revenue’s system. A User guide for Pre-Boarding Notification (PBN) is available from the Irish government here. A video guide is also available here.
UPDATED: Ongoing customs movements and procedures at the end of the transition period: Guidance on, what to do if you had goods in customs procedures at the end of the transition period, has been updated, with information about moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Get a goods movement reference: Guidance on using this service to get a reference, after registering with the Goods Vehicle Movement Service, has been updated with new information on declaring goods orally or by conduct. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Moving goods through the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel using common transit: Guidance on finding alternative offices or destination or departure, when moving goods under Common Transit Convention has been updated, with a changed address for Sevington inland border facility for satellite navigation purposes. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: HMRC Community, Common Transit and TIR newsletter: January editions of the newsletter have been issued. To view these, and previous editions, click here.
UPDATED: Return your rejected exports from the EU: Guidance on the rules you must follow for returning rejected exports to Great Britain has been updated to include links to post Brexit transition guidance. For more information, click here.
Business Information
NEW: Receiving interest, royalties or dividends payments from the EU: Guidance has been issued explaining changes to tax deductions from interest, royalties and dividends, following the end of the Brexit transition period. For more information, click here.
NEW: Public-sector procurement: Guidance has been issued with information for public authorities, businesses and other organisations, on public procurement policy. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: National Insurance for workers from the UK working in the EEA or Switzerland: Check which country’s social security contributions you must pay if you are a worker from the UK working in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Liechtenstein. Guidance has been updated, with the countries who have agreed to apply the ‘detached worker’ rules. For more information, click here.
Designated Standards
UPDATED: Guidance on designated standards has been updated for washer dryers and washing machines and medical devices. For more information, click here.
Data protection and Copyright law
UPDATED: EU business: data protection and copyright: Guidance on what EU businesses need to do with data protection, intellectual property and copyright in the UK, has been updated with the latest information on transferring personal data to the UK. For more information, click here.
Sector specific guidance
Chemicals
NEW: Submitting chemicals information to the National Poisons Information Service: Guidance has been issued with information for companies placing hazardous mixtures on the UK market (such as manufacturers, importers, downstream users and distributors), should submit to the National Poisons Information Service. For more information, click here.
NEW: ODS (Ozone - Depleting Substances) exports rejected at an EU border control post: Guidance has been issued on what to do if your ozone-depleting substances (ODS) exports, are rejected at an EU border control post (BCP). For more information, click here.
NEW: F gas exports rejected at an EU border control post: Guidance has been issued on what to do if your fluorinated gas (F gas) exports, are rejected at an EU border control post (BCP). For more information, click here.
Life Sciences
NEW: Guidance for retailers: supplying over-the-counter medicines to Northern Ireland: Guidance has been issued explaining how the supply of medicines into NI works. For more information, click here.
NEW: Guidance for retailers: supplying medical devices to Northern Ireland: Guidance has been issued explaining how the supply of medical devices into NI works. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Converting Centrally Authorised Products (CAPs) to UK Marketing Authorisations (MAs), 'grandfathering' and managing lifecycle changes: Guidance covers ‘grandfathering’ and managing the lifecycle changes of medicinal products has been updated, with clearer information on legal presence. For more information, click here.
Food and Drink
UPDATED: Trading with the UK: exporting animals and animal products to the UK:There is updated guidance for trading partners that want to apply to, or are currently approved, to export animals and animal products into the UK. Guidance has been updated with the name of the UK Office of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Trade Assurance, which will co-ordinate SPS trade assurance in the UK. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Guidance on nutrition and health claims on food: Guidance has been updated to include notes on compliance with Regulations (EC) 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods following the UK's departure from the EU. A new section of guidance has been added to reflect changes to processes. For more information, click here.
UPADTED: How to export wild caught marine fishery products to the EU from 01 January 2021: Guidance has been updated to include the latest edition of the ‘One Stop Shop’ guidance document. For more information, click here.
Webinars and Podcasts
Webinars for organisations that trade with the EU: Click here to view a list of webinars you can sign up to watch live or on demand.
The Department for International Trade are hosting a webinar of the UK’s Generalised Preference Scheme (GSP) on 12 January 2021 at 2pm. This webinar is targeted for businesses and other organisations that have an interest in importing goods from countries that are classified as low income and least developed countries. To sign up, click here.
HMRC customs declarations webinars: have launched multiple editions of this live webinar covering how to complete customs import declarations and explaining how to make import declarations when importing goods between the EU and Great Britain. To register and find a date, click here.
HMRC webinars: Get help on UK transition with online webinars from HMRC by registering for webinars on:
Importing: staged controls and how to prepare to use them
Exporting: actions you need to take to prepare for 1 January 2021
To register, and for more information. Click here.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is hosting a series of free podcasts to help businesses that make, use or supply chemicals, understand what actions they should take as independent GB chemical regimes are now in place. To listen to the podcast, just search ‘The HSE Podcast’ on your chosen platform. Audiences can also register to receive notifications for each episode released, to do so, click here.
HSE and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will host a webinar on Wednesday 20 January at 10am. The event will cover the actions businesses need to take now an independent GB chemical regimes is in place. To register, and for more information, click here.