Importing, Exporting and Changing Customs Controls Post-Brexit

Importing and exporting after Brexit

While it is still fairly early days as far as Brexit goes, and knowing which businesses will be most affected remains difficult at this stage, what we do know is what all UK businesses now have to contend with when it comes to importing and exporting. Any organisation which relies on moving goods between the UK and the EU now has to undergo customs formalities and border checks that did not always take place pre-Brexit. Naturally, this can be time-consuming and affects a huge proportion of the UK’s economy, changing procedure in every industry from the retail and footstuff sectors, to those relating to farming, fishing and manufacturing.

To get you and your business up-to-date on the latest processes, check out our handy importing after Brexit guide which includes tips on what you should expect in the new post-Brexit landscape and how you can prepare correctly to ensure all of your UK imports from EU countries arrive seamlessly with minimal hassle.

One of the most significant changes post-Brexit has involved the introduction of customs clearance checks on each and every UK export and import. This means, with the end of free trade between Britain and members of the EU, all businesses now wishing to import/export goods have to comply with stricter custom rules. These checks include declaring all goods passing in and out of the UK, filling out more documentation at borders and ports, ensuring export and import VAT is properly paid and accounted for, and making sure product standards are met. This final point is especially important if your business deals in foodstuffs, livestock or certain restricted items such as pharmaceuticals, alcohol or tobacco.

While it helps to be clued up on these new custom rules, when you use Freightline you certainly don’t have to be a specialist. Here at Freightline, you can leave this to us – we can handle all customs declarations and border checks, ensuring your goods get to where they need to be as quickly and efficiently as possible.

A comprehensive service

For more detail on any specific areas of the Brexit changes that may concern you, click on the official sources below for additional information:

• UK Government transition site
• EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement classification
• EU Customs Tariffs
• UK Customs Tariffs
• Post-Brexit VAT EU rules
• Post-Brexit VAT UK rules
• EORI number details
• Importing food to Europe
• Importing food to the UK