We are leaving the EU’s customs union and single
market, taking back control of our borders, and
beginning to strike trade deals around the world.
In a speech today by the Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster at a Border Delivery Group stakeholder event,
he confirmed all UK exports and imports will be treated
equally. This will mean traders in the EU and GB will
have to submit customs declarations and be liable to
goods’ checks. He also confirmed that the policy
easements put in place for a potential no deal exit
will not be reintroduced as businesses have time to
prepare.
There are a number of reasons for implementing import
controls:
- to keep our borders safe and secure so we know
who’s coming in and how often, what they are bringing
in, and why
- to ensure we treat all partners equally as we begin
to negotiate our own trading arrangements with
countries around the world
- to collect the right customs, VAT and excise duties
- the EU has said it will enforce checks on our goods
entering the Eurozone. We will likewise enforce our own
rules for goods entering the UK
Business can prepare for border controls by making sure
they have an Economic Operator Registration and
Identification (EORI) number, and also looking into how
they want to make declarations such as using a customs
agent. We will ensure facilitations currently available
to rest of the world traders will also be open to those
trading between GB and EU.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said:
The UK will be outside the single market and outside
the customs union, so we will have to be ready for
the customs procedures and regulatory checks that
will inevitably follow.
As a result of that we will be in a stronger
position, not just to make sure that our economy
succeeds outside the European Union but that we are
in a position to take advantage of new trading
relationships with the rest of the world.
This morning HMRC extended the deadline for businesses
to apply for customs support funding to 31 January
2021. To date, applications have been made for around
£18.5 million out of a possible £26 million – meaning
there is at least £7.5 million left to claim from HMRC.
This is aimed at GB/EU traders. This approach does not
apply to the flow of trade between Northern Ireland and
Ireland, or between Northern Ireland and GB.
