HMRC has written to UK businesses to provide details of the actions they need to take in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
These include:
• Registering for an EORI number: Get a UK EORI number to trade within the EU
• Deciding if they want to hire an agent to make import and/or export declarations for them, or if they want to make declarations themselves using relevant software
• Registering for Transitional Simplified Procedures (TSP), which is a new process to make importing easier than it otherwise would be for the initial period after the UK leaves the EU, should there be no deal. Registration opened on 7 February on Gov.uk
There are also important updates on the way businesses trading with the EU pay import VAT and use EU VAT IT systems if the UK leaves with no deal. You can read the full letter here.
These changes do not apply to trade across the Northern Ireland-Ireland land border. HMRC says it will set out information about the arrangements for trading with Ireland as soon as it can.
New guides have also been published which provide further information explaining what these changes mean for UK businesses that trade with the EU. These guides can be found on Gov.uk on:
• Customs procedures
• Moving goods to and from the UK
• VAT IT systems rules and processes
A new tool has also been published - ‘Prepare your business for the UK leaving the EU’. This is to help UK businesses find out:
• what they need to do to prepare for the UK leaving the EU
• what’s changing in their industry
• information on specific rules and regulations
You can access the tool here.
