Brexit Latest: EU Exit Business Readiness (30th August 2019)

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

Thank you to everyone who attend the forum on 8 August. Please see additional answers from the Q&A in the link below. Our next forum will be on Thursday 12 September, further details have been sent to relevant organisations under a separate cover. The forum will include an item on the Business Readiness Fund.

We would really like to hear from you if there is anything in particular that you would find useful for our upcoming forum, please share your thoughts with us via sed@beis.gov.uk.

Brexit Business Readiness Forum Q&A: 8th August 2019

We would really like to hear from you if there is anything in particular that you would find useful for our upcoming forum, please share your thoughts with us via sed@beis.gov.uk.

EORI Number Update

Last week the Chancellor announced that as many traders as possible will be automatically allocated an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number to enable them to trade smoothly once the UK leaves the EU on 31 October. Every business will need an EORI number to move goods into or out of the EU after Brexit. HMRC is sending letters to all possible VAT-registered businesses over the next two weeks to advise them of their assigned EORI number.

If your business is not VAT-registered, you still need to register for an EORI number. Getting an EORI number is an easy process that takes 5-10 minutes. Getting an EORI number is only the first step that businesses need to action urgently to be prepared for leaving the EU. After getting an EORI number, businesses need to decide how to make customs declarations. Traders can complete these themselves or employ a customs agent to do this.

Recent Announcements

Education

Department for Education have published guidance on what organisation and businesses should do to get ready for Brexit. Update – format updates have been made to highlight actions that people need to take. A link has also been added that allows people to sign up for email alerts to get the latest information about Brexit: Brexit: preparations for further education and apprenticeship providers.

Importing and Exporting

HM Revenue and Customs have provided letters to VAT-registered businesses trading with the EU explaining how to prepare for changes to customs, excise and VAT if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. Update – added letters to traders regarding auto-enrolment of EORI numbers, and added Welsh translation of the page: Letters on no deal Brexit advice for businesses trading with the EU.

New – HM Treasury have announced new plans to help businesses that trade with Europe prepare for October 31; more than 88,000 VAT registered companies across the UK will be allocated an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number in the next two weeks in order to keep trading with customers and suppliers in the EU after the UK has left: Chancellor accelerates Brexit preparations for businesses.

Department for International Trade have provided guidance explaining what will change for exporters of controlled goods if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. Update – references to legislation updated: Exporting controlled goods after Brexit.

Department for International Trade have provided details on the new trade agreements that will be in place if there’s a no-deal Brexit. Update – updated the South Korea listing as the UK has now signed a trade agreement with South Korea: UK trade agreements with non-EU countries in a no-deal Brexit.

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have provided information on the ‘Written Confirmation’ process, for active substances manufactured in the United Kingdom (UK), in a no-deal Brexit. Update – updated attachment – API Written Confirmation 23/08/19 PDF: Exporting active substance manufactured in the UK in a no-deal Brexit.

Importing and Exporting – Animal and Plant specific

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have provided details on the countries that are part of EU trade, the export health certificates you need, and how to get consignments checked. Update – updated links about how the rules for moving animals and animal products will change if there’s a no-deal Brexit. Removed information about exporting horses and ponies after Brexit. This is covered on the page about preparing to export after Brexit, which is linked to: Moving live animals or animal products as part of EU trade.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have published guidance on getting the right licence, where you can import from, and the checks your consignment must pass at a border inspection post (BIP). Update – highlighted the link to guidance about how importers should prepare for Brexit: Importing live animals or animal products from non-EU countries.

Animal and Plant Health Agency have provided a form to apply for plant breeders’ rights of a new variety of plant. Update – replaced the application form (PVS7): Plant breeders’ rights: application.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have provided guidance on What importers need to do to prepare for the rules and processes if there’s a no-deal Brexit. Update – updated links to information about customs and transporting goods. Highlighted how to stay up to date with the latest guidance on preparing for Brexit: Importing animals, animal products, high-risk food and feed not of animal origin if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

The food standards agency have provided details for your members to check whether they need a certificate to export fish, molluscs and crustaceans (shellfish) products. Update – updated EHC section to make it more to the point: Export of fish and shellfish products.

New – Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have provided guidance on how to import fish after a no-deal Brexit, what documents you may need, and customs rules to follow: Import fish after a no-deal Brexit.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have provided guidance on how to export fish after a no-deal Brexit, what documents you may need and customs rules to follow. Update – this page now talks specifically about fish exports in a no-deal Brexit. The imports in a no-deal Brexit have been moved to their own page: Export fish after a no-deal Brexit.

Rural Payments Agency provide guidance if you need a certificate to export food for animals, and what you’ll need to do in a no-deal Brexit. Update – this guidance has highlighted Brexit update link, and streamlined content for ease of reading: Export food for animals.

Department for International Trade provide guidance explaining changes for UK exporters to South Korea if we leave the EU with no deal. Update – updated trade arrangements information: Exporting to South Korea after Brexit if there’s no deal.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs provide guidance on how rules for producing, processing, labelling and trading organic food will change if there’s a no-deal Brexit. Update – no factual changes to content, but a new notice about staying up to date with Brexit has been added, and some rewording throughout: Trading and labelling organic food after Brexit.

Animal and Plant Health Agency provide guidance on how to get a certificate to export cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry and bees, and extra rules to export poultry. Update – highlighted link to guidance on how the rules for moving animals and animal products will change if there’s a no-deal Brexit. Updated the section about getting export health certificates to make it clearer, including adding a link to where you can find the right certificate: Export livestock, poultry or bees.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have provided guidance for how food producers, manufacturers, retailers and suppliers should change food labels if there’s a no-deal Brexit. Update – No factual changes to content, but major headings have been rewritten to differentiate between exporting to the EU and goods sold in the UK: Food labelling changes if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have provided guidance on how to get a certificate to export food, drink and agricultural products, and what you’ll need to do in a no-deal Brexit. Update – restructured the links to no-deal information into a call out box to increase visibility and made some minor stylistic changes: Export food, drink and agricultural products.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs provide guidance on how to market, trial and release GMOs if there’s a no-deal Brexit. Update – added section on how to contact the UK competent authorities. Highlighted how to stay up to date with any changes to Brexit content: Developing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have provided details on the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), an online system for health certification and tracking consignments of animals or animal products coming into or out of the UK. Update – updated links about how the rules for moving animals and animal products will change if there’s a no-deal Brexit: Customs clearance for animals and animal products.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs provide details on how to use a service to notify authorities you are planning to import animals, animal products, high-risk food or animal feed of non-animal origin into the UK. Update – edited call out to make it clearer how TRACES and IPAFFS can be used before and after Brexit: Import of products, animals, food and feed system.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have provided guidance on what your members would need to do to export animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products in a no-deal Brexit. Update – updated links to HMRC guidance on exporting after Brexit. Highlighted how to stay up to date with Brexit changes. Streamlined guidance to make it easier to follow: Exporting animals and animal products in a no-deal Brexit.

Animal and Plant Health Agency have provided guidance on what your members would need to do to export animal semen, ova, and embryos (germplasm). Update – highlighted information on what may happen in a no-deal Brexit. Also restructured guidance to make it easier to follow: Export animal semen, ova and embryos.

Other

UK Fisheries Administrations (UKFAs) call on fisherman with vessels 12 metres and longer to register with the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Update – new link added: Fishermen in over 12m fleet urged to register now to be ready for EU exit.

Office of the Secretary of State for Wales have provided guidance to use this page to navigate the latest guidance from across the UK Government ahead of the UK’s departure from the European Union. Update – added translation: EU Exit: Advice for individuals and businesses in Wales.

Business Support

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. Please could you pass on to your members and networks. The sectors covered are:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Sector Primers

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

DCMS have issued new guidance on what to expect on day one of a ‘no deal’ scenario if you’re a creative business, small arts organisation or sports organisation that currently travels only to the EU, such as:

touring professional choir
touring chamber orchestra
touring string quartet
small touring ballet company
small touring theatre company
school football team
amateur sports team
pop or rock band

Check what you need to do.

EU EXIT: Business Intelligence and Engagement Team

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

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