Brexit Update: No Deal Guidance

The government has released guidance to advise businesses in the event of a “no deal” Brexit. The no deal guidance applies to businesses that import and export goods to/ from Europe.

This guide will provide and direct you to the key information you need to know and will be continually updated when/ as arrangements are made.

The Key Points to Note

Trading between the UK and the EU

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal (which we are still told is an unlikely event), the government has issued instructions for actions it recommends UK businesses take. These instructions call for businesses to:

• register for a UK Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number;
• decide if they want to hire an agent to make import and/or export declarations, or make them themselves;
• contact the organisation that moves their goods to see if they will need to provide any additional information to them.

To help businesses further the government has released step-by-step guides:

• Preparing for a ‘no deal’ EU Exit: step-by-step guide to importing
• Preparing for a ‘no deal’ EU Exit: step-by-step guide to exporting

 

Partnership pack

Many UK businesses will have received the UK government’s Partnership Pack: preparing for changes at the UK border after a ‘no deal’ EU Exit. The pack informs businesses what to expect on day one post-Brexit. It also includes information about customs, excise, VAT and regulatory changes.

 

Employees

The government is advising EU nationals living and/or working in the UK to apply for its ‘settlement scheme’. Otherwise, in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit there might be implications for their residence and employment status after the end of 2020. The Home Office has issued a toolkit for employers, providing them with communication materials to share with their employees.

• EU settlement scheme: employer toolkit

 

Conclusion

All of the government’s no deal guidance is located here: How to prepare if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. For most points, such as VAT, structuring your business etc. the same laws and rules that are currently in place will continue to apply. As much as possible the government is aiming to provide continuity and certainty for businesses in the event of a no deal.

If you have any questions about Brexit and how it may affect your business, contact us on 020 8551 7200 or at info@raffingers.co.uk.

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