15 July 2020
New UK customs and border procedures have now been announced by the UK government. These new controls on imports coming into GB from the EU will be implemented in three stages up until 1 July 2021.
To implement the changes, the government has set aside £705million. This will include £470million to build infrastructure such as border control posts, and £235million for IT systems and around 500 more Border Force personnel.
According to the UK Government website, there are a number of actions traders need to take to prepare for the end of the transition period, including:
- Get a customs intermediary. Intermediaries can help traders find the information needed to complete formalities and submit the required declarations, for example customs information to HMRC systems. This simplifies the declaration processes for traders. If you decide not to use an intermediary, you will need to make declarations yourself.
- Apply for a duty deferment account. Traders who import goods regularly, may benefit from having a duty deferment account. This enables customs charges including customs duty, excise duty, and import VAT to be paid once a month through Direct Debit instead of being paid on individual consignments.
- Prepare to pay or account for VAT on imported goods.
- Ensure you have International Driving Permits.
- Apply for a GB Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number. This is required for all businesses moving goods into or out of the UK.
Chambers of Commerce across the UK will be helping businesses get ready to trade under the new rules. To learn more, visit: chambercustoms.co.uk.
