News and Views

Welcome to the latest in a series of business readiness bulletins, aimed at keeping trade associations, business representative bodies and business intermediaries up to date on the latest information and guidance for business on the UK exiting the EU.

The objective of this Bulletin is to signpost you to tools and resources to help you and your members prepare for the UK’s Exit from the EU.

EU Exit Business Readiness Forum

The next Forum will take place on Thursday 16 May at 14:15pm. It will be held at the BEIS Conference Centre in London and via WebEx webinar, where attendees will still be able to participate in the Forum and ask questions. This month’s Forum will cover an EU Exit update from Department for Exiting the European Union; an overview of the EU settled status scheme from the Home Office; an update on tariffs policy in the case of no-deal and Airbus/Boeing dispute countermeasures from Department for International Trade. Further details and how to join via WebEx will be sent to relevant organisations under a separate cover. If you have any questions regarding this, please get in touch.

If you have views about what it would be useful for the forums to focus on at future meetings, we would very much like to hear from you to help shape our future programme. We would also appreciate your views on whether you would like to see physical forum meetings continued or whether we should focus on WebEx remote meetings. Please email sed@beis.gov.uk with your suggestions and views.

Recent Announcements

Importing and Exporting

HM Revenue & Customs updated Notices Made Under the Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018. Updates – The address to send the SP1 and SP5 forms has been updated and the C&E48 form has been updated: Notices Made Under The Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

Public Procurement

Cabinet Office updated guidance information for public authorities, businesses and other organisations on the outcome for public procurement policy in a no-deal Brexit scenario. Updates – ‘Wax digital’ was added to the list under ‘what contracting authorities need to do now’ has been updated: Public-sector procurement after a no-deal Brexit.

Business Support

Business Support Helpline

The Government’s Business Support Helpline is a national service for all businesses or aspiring business owners in England. Their impartial expert Advisers can answer business owners’ questions, whether they’re starting up or already a small business based in England. The Helpline also provides complementary information to what is available on GOV.UK. In England you can contact the Business Support Helpline for free advice on 0300 456 3565, enquiries@businesssupporthelpline.org or via social media on webchat, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.

• In Scotland you can contact the Business Gateway for free advice on 0300 013 4753 or online here, they have regional offices and a live chat option available.
• In Wales you can contact the Business Wales Helpline on 0300 060 3000 or online here.
• In Northern Ireland you can contact Invest Northern Ireland on 0800 181 4422 or online here.

The British Business Bank

The British Business Bank is a Government-owned, independently run development bank that’s helped more than 74,000 growing businesses find the right finance option to help them reach their next ambition. The Finance Hub has been created to help businesses understand and discover the finance options that could enable them to grow. For further details please visit here.

The Start-Up Loan Company is subsidiary of the British Business Bank and delivers the Government’s Start Up Loans programme, providing finance and support for businesses who struggle to access other forms of finance. Start-Up Loans, a government-backed scheme, helps individuals start or grow a business in the UK. Alongside the low-interest loan, successful applicants can access free mentoring from experienced advisers. For further details please visit https://www.startuploans.co.uk/

EU Funding

During the extension period, we remain a member of the European Union and as a result certain types of funding remain available. However, when we leave HMG has guaranteed that it will cover certain projects that would have been funded by the EU under the 2014-2020 programme period. This funding will cover programmes including Horizon 2020, Euratom Research & Training, ERDF and ESF grants. To guarantee Horizon 2020 funding you will need to register on the UKRI portal. For further details and information on how to register please see here.

Triage Tool

GOV.UK has an online tool to help businesses prepare for the UK leaving the EU. Businesses can use the Triage Tool to find out:

• what their business may need to do to prepare for the UK leaving the EU
• what’s changing in their sector
• information on specific rules and regulations

Businesses will need to answer 7 simple questions to get guidance relevant to their business.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy – Sector Primers

These sector primers aim to bring together on one webpage the top 3 – 5 issues for each sector and provide guidance. The primers link through to more detailed material elsewhere on GOV.UK. A final batch have now been published, please could you pass on to stakeholders and ask them to cascade through their networks. The sectors covered are:

• Aerospace: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-aerospace-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Automotive: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-automotive-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Chemicals: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-chemicals-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Construction and Housing: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-construction-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Consumer Goods: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-consumer-goods-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Electricity incl. Renewables: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-electricity-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Electronics, Machinery & Parts: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-electronics-machinery-and-parts-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Gas Markets: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/gas-markets-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Life Sciences Sector: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-life-sciences-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Mining and Non-metal Manufacturing: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mining-the-manufacturing-of-non-metals-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Nuclear Sector: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-nuclear-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Oil and Gas Production: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-production-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Parcel Delivery Services: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/parcel-delivery-services-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Professional & Business Services: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-professional-and-business-services-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Research & Innovation: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-science-research-and-innovation-sector-and-preparing-for-a-no-deal-eu-exit
• Retail: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-retail-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Space Sector: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-space-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Steel: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/steel-and-other-metal-manufacturing-and-preparing-for-eu-exit

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Sector Primers

• Fisheries Sector: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-fisheries-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Food and Drink Sector: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-food-and-drink-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Farming Sector: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-farming-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
• Veterinary Sector: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-veterinary-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit

EU Exit: Business Intelligence and Engagement Team

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Email: sed@beis.gov.uk