Government Resources: SME Toolkits, Trade Agreements, Business Travel and Webinars
SME Toolkit: Trading with the EU and Northern Ireland
A new summary of actions SMEs may need to take to trade with the EU is now available.
The document provides an overview of actions to take, outlines support, helplines and resources that may be useful for SMEs, and signposts more detailed guidance on Government websites.
To view the toolkit, click here
Moving Goods
NEW: Moving goods to Ireland: Irish Customs have introduced some additional functionality for those using the Pre-Boarding Notifications service - providing text and email updates for channel routings for loads. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: List of customs agents and fast parcel operators: The list of agents and operators who can help submit customs declarations, has been updated. For more information, click here.
Northern Ireland
NEW: Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS) expanded to support organic produce: Traders moving organic products to Northern Ireland are now eligible for support following the expansion of a scheme designed to ease the flow of agri-food goods from Great Britain. For more information about this announcement click here, and for more information on the new scheme, click here.
UPDATED: Applying for authorisation for the UK Trader Scheme if you bring goods into Northern Ireland: Guidance on applying for authorisation for the UK Trader Scheme has been updated to include new information about authorisation requirements. For more information, click here. If you do not have experience in customs or would like to find out more information, you can register with the Trader Support Service to support you with this process.
UPDATED: Declaring goods you bring into Northern Ireland not ‘at risk’ of moving to the EU: Guidance has been updated with information about making a declaration based on expected outcomes. Further information about rules of origin requirements and preferential rates when bringing goods into Northern Ireland has also been added. For more information, click here.
Business Information
UPDATED: Value Added Tax EU Exit Transitional Provisions: Guidance on the VAT treatment of transactions, or movement of goods which span the end of the transition period, has been updated at Section 6: Financial services, and includes a link to the new detailed guidance on transitional guidance for VAT specified supplies. For more information, click here.
Trade
UPDATED: UK trade agreements with non-EU countries: The list of trade agreements has been updated to reflect the signing and entry into effect of the Ghana-UK EPA. For more information, click here.
Webinars and Podcasts
NEW: Trading with the EU: A calendar of upcoming webinars for organisations that trade with the EU is available here. Topics include: importing, trader responsibilities, exporting and more.
NEW: Webinars giving an overview of the new rules that have come into place since leaving the EU customs union and the EU single market are now available to view now, to access these, click here
NEW: Webinars for EU audiences: Recordings from recent webinars for EU audiences (including details on using Short Straits routs, routes into Belgium and the Netherlands) can be viewed here
NEW: Webinars for importers of food and drink products from the EU to Great Britain. Register for webinars and watch recordings for webinars about changes to importing food and drink, including composite food and fishery products from the EU to GB from 1 April 2021. For more information, click here
NEW: YouTube video on trader responsibilities when using an intermediary has been added. To view this, click here
Video content to keep your business moving: short on-demand videos covering the new rules on exports, imports, tariffs, data and hiring are available to view here.
Customs and VAT
Help and support for UK transition - A YouTube video about ‘trader responsibilities when using an intermediary’ has been added.
List of customs agents and fast parcel operators The list of customs agents and the list of fast parcel operators have been updated.
Value Added Tax EU Exit Transitional Provisions Guidance has been updated at section 6 Financial Services and includes a link to the new detailed guidance Transitional guidance for VAT specified supplies.
Northern Ireland
Sending parcels to and from Northern Ireland. Find out how to move goods, in parcels or large letters, between Great Britain and Northern Ireland using the Royal Mail Group or an express carrier
Apply for authorisation for the UK Trader Scheme if you bring goods into Northern Ireland: Information about authorisation requirements has been updated.
Check if you can declare goods you bring into Northern Ireland not ‘at risk’ of moving to the EU:Information about making a declaration based on expected outcomes has been added. Further information about rules of origin requirements and preferential rates when bringing goods into Northern Ireland has also been added.
Rest of World trade
UK trade agreements with non-EU countries: Updated to reflect the entry into effect of the Ghana-UK EPA.
Trading with developing nations: Guidance added for GSP goods entering the UK from a customs warehouse in an EU member state and GSP goods sent to an EU member state from a customs warehouse in the UK. Additional links added for notices in relation to the trade preference scheme regulations.
Of wider interest:
Local government and the EU: Guidance to help local councils adapt to new rules after Brexit.
Understanding the statistical implications of coronavirus (Covid-19) and EU Exit on the compilation of UK Trade statistics: How the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the end of the EU Exit transition period impacted on the compilation of UK trade.
New rules on business travel
Under the current restrictions, you are unlikely to be travelling abroad, however if you are planning to travel to the EEA or Switzerland for work or business purposes in the future, you should:
Check whether you need to apply for a visa, work permit or other documentation.
Additionally, check the relevant country’s websites for details on application requirements and processing times if you need to make an application, and apply sufficiently in advance of travel. If in doubt you should apply as far in advance as possible.
Further information is available at the GOV.UK page on visiting Europe.
New rules on professional qualifications
If you wish to practise a regulated profession in the EEA or Switzerland and have not yet had your professional qualifications recognised in the EEA or Switzerland, you should:
Check the European Commission’s Regulated Professions Database to find out if your profession is regulated where you intend to work.
Contact the single point of contact for the country in which you intend to work to find out how to get your professional qualification recognised there.
If you or your staff members work in a UK regulated profession using professional qualifications obtained in the EEA or Switzerland, you will need to seek recognition from the appropriate regulator in the UK. You can find details of the appropriate regulator from the UK Centre for Professional Qualifications (UK CPQ, formerly UK NARIC).
Support for businesses
Business travel and mutual recognition of qualifications are both topics explained in the new on demand videos which focus on priority topics for businesses.You can also download a step-by-step guide on how to navigate the new rules on business travel to the EU.
You can also use the Brexit Checker tool on gov.uk/transition, which will provide you with a personalised list of the most up to date actions that your business needs to take.
Helpline numbers
You can contact the government’s Business Support Helpline for free business advice.
England: 0800 998 1098
Scotland: 0300 303 0660
Wales: 0300 060 3000
Northern Ireland: 0800 181 4422