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The six steps you should take to continue importing goods after Brexit

In 2018, £14bn worth of goods were imported into the North East.

If you are one of the businesses that rely on imports, you need to follow these steps to ensure you’re prepared for Brexit - come January 31.

Below is a list of what you need to do now to make sure you’re able to receive goods from the EU, and if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

1. Make sure your business has an EORI number that starts with GB. You’ll need an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number starting with GB to continue importing goods.

2. Decide who will make the import declarations. You can hire someone to deal with customs for you, or you can do it yourself.

3. Apply to make importing easier. You can apply to use ‘transitional simplified procedures’ to reduce the amount of information you need to give at the border.

4. Set up a duty deferment account if you import regularly, and if you want to be able to make one payment of customs duties a month instead of paying for individual shipments. You must set one up if you plan to use transitional simplified procedures.

5. Check the rate of tax and the duty you’ll need to pay. You’ll need to pay customs duties and VAT on all imports. You will also need to pay excise duties if you’re importing alcohol, tobacco or biofuels.

6. Check if you need a licence or certificate for the type of goods you import.

For more information, visit the North East Growth Hub’s Brexit Toolkit.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by North East Growth Hub .