Please see the latest Business Readiness updates below.
The UK has left the EU, and the Brexit transition period comes to an end this year, in 15 days time. Take action now to get ready for new rules from January 2021.
CONTENTS
UK Internal Market Bill becomes law
The UK Internal Market Act, which comes into force from 1 January 2021, will protect businesses, jobs and livelihoods by ensuring there are no harmful new barriers to trade between all parts of the UK.
This means that from 1 January 2021 businesses can continue to trade seamlessly across all four parts of the UK, as they have done for centuries, and ensures the UK’s world-leading standards for consumers and workers are maintained, including for food and the environment.
For more information about the UK Internal Market Bill, click here.
New and Updated Guidance
Importing and Exporting
NEW: Bringing goods into Great Britain from outside the UK from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been issued on the allowances which mean that you can bring a certain amount of goods into Great Britain from outside the UK for your own use, without having to pay duty. For more information, click here.
NEW: Duty suspensions and tariff quotas from 1 January 2021: Guidance on temporary duty suspensions and tariff quotas for importing goods into the UK has been issued. For more information, click here.
NEW: Reporting sales of goods from Northern Ireland to the EU for VAT from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been issued on how to report supplies of goods from Northern Ireland to VAT-registered customers in an EU country using an EC Sales List. For more information, click here.
NEW: Suspensions or reductions from Customs Duty for UK Trade Tariff from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been issued about the UK Trade Tariff temporary suspension or reduction of Customs Duty from 1 January 2021. For more information, click here.
NEW: Movement Assistance Scheme: get help with moving agrifood goods to Northern Ireland: New support is available for traders and businesses through the Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS), to help them meet new requirements for moving animals, plants and associated products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland after the transition period ends. For more information, click here.
NEW: UK Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) graduated goods: A notice has been published on graduated goods under the UK Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). For more information, click here.
NEW: HMRC newsletter on Community, Common Transit and Transport International Roturiers: HMRC have released another newsletter in their series. This edition covers Euro Exchange Rates. To view this, and previous editions, click here.
NEW: Rules of origin: requirements to access preferential tariffs in UK Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): If you are trading goods with any countries with which the UK has an FTA, you will need to comply with Rules of Origin to benefit from preferential (lower or zero) tariffs. This includes the EU in the event a deal is reached. For more information on Rules of Origin, click here.
UPDATED: Open general export licence (export of dual-use items to EU member states): Guidance on the licence for the export of dual-use items to EU member states has been revised to take into account changes in legislation following the end of the transition period. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Trade with Iceland and Norway: Guidance on how you import and export to Iceland and Norway from 1 January 2021 has been updated with the latest advice. For more information, click here.
NEW: Ongoing customs movements and procedures at the end of the transition period: Information on what to do if you are moving goods or have goods in the customs procedures at the end of the transition period has been issued. To view this guidance, click here.
NEW: Transiting animals and animal products through Great Britain: Guidance with the rules to follow if you are moving animals or animal products from one third country to another third country and transiting Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), known as ‘landbridge’ movements has been issued. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Moving your goods to common or EU transit countries: Guidance on preparing your goods and planning your routes if you are using common or Union transit has been updated to clarify guidance on checking if you need to complete an export declaration for movements starting in Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Moving goods through the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel with an ATA Carnet from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been updated with the addresses of the locations of ATA carnet processing points (for Sevington, Dover Western Docks and North Weald). For more information, click here.
Trade
NEW: Summary of the UK-Singapore agreement: Details of the trade agreement can be viewed here.
UPDATED: Trade remedies transition policy: Guidance on trade remedies which protect domestic industries from unfair practices around imports. The UK’s own independent trade policy includes a trade remedies system. Guidance has been updated to reflect recent updates to measures being maintained or terminated. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Trading with developing nations from 1 January 2021: Details on the UK’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences have been updated to include preferences regarding Cambodia under the UK GSP. For more information, click here.
An up-to-date list of existing UK trade agreements with non-EU countries is available here.
Marketing Goods
UPDATED: Notification of tobacco or herbal products for smoking: Guidance for businesses which need to notify the government that they are placing a tobacco or herbal smoking product on the market has been updated in line with the new regulations that will apply after the end of the Transition Period on 31 December 2020. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Product safety and metrology from 1 January 2021: Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Guidance on specific product safety and metrology has been updated for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Updated guidance includes supplementary guidance on Regulation 14 of the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 and a second version of the guide on the PPE regulations 2018 has been published. For more information on this for products placed on the GB market, click here. For more information for on this for products placed on the NI market click here.
Intellectual Property
NEW: Trade marks and geographical indications after 1 January 2021: Guidance for businesses and organisations on the relationship between trade marks and geographical indications (GIs) at the end of the transition period has been issued. For more information, click here.
Designated Standards
UPDATED: Designated standards: Information has been updated for businesses about designated standards at the end of the transition period. Changes include links have been added for construction products and cableway installations designed to carry persons and general product safety. For more information, click here.
Sector Specific Guidance
Legal
UPDATED: Family law disputes involving the EU: Guidance for legal professionals from 1 January 2021: Guidance for legal professionals on family law disputes involving the EU from 1 January 2021 has been updated. For more information, click here.
Business Services
NEW: Cross-border insolvency proceedings with the EU from 1 January 2021: Information has been published regarding legal changes affecting the insolvency sector. For more information, click here.
Chemicals and active substances
NEW: Submitting chemicals information to the appointed body from 1 January 2021: Guidance for companies placing hazardous mixtures on the UK market (such as manufacturers, importers, downstream users and distributors) from 1 January 2021 has been issued. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Exporting active substances manufactured in Great Britain for use in EEA and Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021: Guidance on how the Written Confirmation process for active substances manufactured in GB will be handled from 1 January 2021 has been updated to include two new Written Confirmations. For more information, click here.
Life Sciences
NEW: Guidance on MAH and QPPV location from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been issued on the locations for a Marketing Authorisation Holder (MAH) and a Qualified Person responsible for Pharmacovigilance (QPPV) after the end of the transition period. For more information, click here.
Climate Change
UPDATED: Meeting climate change requirements from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been updated to include information about how the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) will replace the UK’s participation in the EU ETS from 1 January 2021. UK operators participating in the EU ETS 2020 scheme year must still meet their compliance obligations. For more information, click here.
Product Safety
NEW: Submit a cosmetic product notification: Guidance on how to submit a cosmetic product notification to the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has been issued. For more information, click here.
Radioactive material
UPDATED: Shipping radioactive sources between the UK and EU from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been updated to include information on import of sealed sources into the UK from the EU. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Transboundary impacts of radioactive waste disposal: Guidance on what operators need to do in terms of submitting plans for radioactive waste disposal to the European Commission under Euratom Article 37 from 2021 has been updated, clarifying the environmental permit process. For more information, click here.
Food and Drink
NEW: Exporting animals and animal products to the UK from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been issued for trading partners that want to apply to or are currently approved to export animals and animal products into the UK. For more information, click here.
NEW: Exporting or moving high risk food and feed of non-animal origin to the EU or Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021: Guidance on exporting or moving high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin (HRFNAO) from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021 has been issued. For more information, click here.
NEW: Vitamins and minerals in foods from 1 January: Guidance about vitamins, minerals and certain other substances that may be added to foods in Great Britain, from 1 January 2021. For more information click here.
NEW: Nutrition and health claims from 1 January 2021: Guidance about the register of nutrition and health claims and claims that may be made in commercial communications in Great Britain, from 1 January 2021 has been issued. For more information, click here.
NEW: ‘On hold’ health claims on foods from 1 January 2021: Guidance on how to use ‘on hold’ health claims that are still under consideration in the EU, in Great Britain, from 1 January 2021 has been issued. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Fresh fruit and vegetable marketing standards from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been updated with new information about moving fruit and vegetables from GB to NI. For more information, click here.
UPDATED: Hops and hops products marketing standards from 1 January 2021: New guidance has been added on 'Exporting hops and hop products from GB to the EU' and 'Moving hops and hop products from GB to NI' sections. For more information, click here.
Webinars and Podcasts
With just 11 days to go until the end of the transition period, you can keep up to date by watching a webinar to help prepare your business. You can also access sector-specific webinars about how to prepare your business here.
To register, and for more information. click here.
Trading with the EU: A video series has been released that explains what businesses need to do to be ready for 1 January 2021. These videos cover what businesses need to know about exports and imports, customs, commodity codes and controlled goods. To view the videos, click here.
