Please see the latest Readiness bulletin below.
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Transition Period: Business Secretary writes to businesses sectors
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP, has written to specific business sectors. The letters provide tailored advice about key actions that businesses must take after the Transition period ends on 31 December 2020, which is 32 days away. Click to view the sector-specific guidance for:
New Guidance
UK - JAPAN Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA):
New UK-Wide advice on ear tags for livestock exporters: Guidance has been issued for livestock exporters pertaining to the changes to ear tags for livestock exports and movements from Great Britain to the EU and Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021. For more information, click here.
Placing an e-cigarette on the UK and the Northern Ireland market from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been issued about new notification rules:
From 1 January 2021 producers of nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes and refill containers will be required to:
For more information, click here.
Trading
Trading under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules – how to trade with other countries from 1 January if there is no UK trade agreement: Guidance has been updated to reflect the latest information about trading under WTO rules from 1 January 2021 if no trade agreement exists between the UK and another country. For more information, click here.
Trading with Japan: Guidance on trading with Japan has been updated with details of how trading with Japan will change from 1 January 2021. To view this, click here.
Workforce
Employer information about the UK points-based immigration system: Information for employers to help them prepare for the UK’s new point-based immigration system from 1 January 2021 has been updated. The page includes links to a new podcast on the future of immigration. For more information, click here. For links to listen to the podcast, see the Webinars and Podcast section of this bulletin.
Data
Using personal data in your businesses or other organisations from 1 January 2021: Guidance on what action you need to take regarding data protection and data flows with the EU/EEA after the end of the transition period has been updated. For more information, click here.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property after 1 January 2021: Guidance for customers and users of Intellectual Property, about how the Intellectual Property system and the Intellectual Property Office will operate after the end of the transition period, has been updated. From 1 January 2021, subject to legislative implementation, only an address for service in the UK (which for these purposes includes the Isle of Man), Gibraltar or the Channel Islands will be accepted for new applications and new requests to start contentious proceedings before the IPO. The change will apply across all the registered IP rights (patents, trademarks and designs). For more information, click here.
Exporting
Exporting active substances manufactured in Great Britain from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been updated to reflect how the ‘Written Confirmation’ process for active substances manufactured in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) will be handled from 1 January 2021. For more information, click here.
Export licences and certificates from 1 January 2021: Guidance on licences, certificates and special rules for taking goods out of the UK from 1 January 2021, has been updated to provide further information about exporting cultural goods. For more information, click here.
HMRC newsletter on Community, Common Transit and Transport International Roturiers: HMRC have released another newsletter in their series. This edition explains the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) specifically for Northern Ireland, it’s implications and the technical changes to the guarantee reference amounts. To view this, and previous editions, click here.
Procurement
Public-sector procurement from 1 January 2021: Guidance has been updated to reflect the latest information about the Find-a-Tender service that will be used from 1 January 2021, to post and view public sector procurement notices. For more information, click here.
Product Safety
Product Safety and Metrology from 1 January 2021: Further guidance has been provided on Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland guidance also includes an update on Supply of Machinery (Safety) regulations (2008).
Automotive
Labelling of tyres: The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Labelling) (Enforcement) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, creates penalties for the non-compliance with new requirements in the UK for the labelling of tyres and for the labelling of tyres in Norther Ireland when the regulation comes into effect from 1 May 2021. To view this in full, click here.
Food and Drink
Amendments to Food Information rules and wine: The Food and Drink (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 have been updated to retained EU legislation on food information rules and wine. For more information, click here.
Transition Webinars and Podcasts
With just 32 days to go until the end of the transition period, you can keep up to date by attending live webinars to help prepare your business. You can also access sector-specific webinars about how to prepare your business here.
Visit the GOV.UK transition webinar page to find out more and register - 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.
Podcast: Business and the Future of Immigration in 2021
The Home Office has created a podcast episode in partnership with Intelligence Squared to help you prepare for the points-based immigration system. Listen now to Business and the Future of Immigration in 2021. Also available on Spotify and Apple
