Category: Customs

New Customs framework agreed for Northern Ireland shipments

Business groups have welcomed the ‘Windsor framework’ deal announced on the 27th February, between the UK and EU over trading arrangements in Northern Ireland, which offer a considerable reduction in checks and documents to move goods across the Irish Sea and into the province. To avoid a ... Read more

20,000 UK businesses eligible for Plastic Packaging Tax – are you one of them?

Manufacturers or importers of 10 or more tonnes of plastic packaging, containing less than 30% recycled material, over a 12-month period should be registered for the tax, with the liability date fast approaching on the 1st May 2023. The Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) came into force in the UK on ... Read more

New EU border controls threaten cross-channel delays

Almost 60% of all UK-EU trade passes through the UK short straits and ensuring their operational stability is key to facilitating and maximising international trade, but EU border controls due to take effect next May threaten to impact their resilience and sustainability. The European Entry/Ex... Read more

Exporting compliance is complex but critical

The United Kingdom has an obligation to ensure that goods, technology or software are not exported into the wrong hands, or breach UK, UN or EU sanctions and anyone who exports goods or technology must comply with strict export control legislation. Compliance with export control legislation re... Read more

New trade system for developing countries

The Department for International Trade launched a new preferential trading scheme on the 15th August 2022. The Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) is intended to grow free and fair trade with 65 developing nations, with a combined market of more than 3.3 billion. The DCTS extends tariff... Read more

July UK border updates – consistent trade with the EU Bloc

The government, who would like your feedback on UK border controls, have announced an unexpected border easement, but another one that nearly a quarter of a million traders would welcome is unlikely to happen. Customs Declaration ServiceThe customs handling of import and export freight system ... Read more

Safety and security easements effective 1st July 2022

HMRC is introducing four new border easements tomorrow, focused around the submission of safety and security (S&S) information for vehicles taking goods into and out of the UK. The facilitations, that will be welcomed by the logistics sector, were recently confirmed to members of the Joint... Read more

Get ready for HMRC’s new Customs Declaration Service

The customs handling of import and export freight system (CHIEF) has been in use by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for nearly 30 years and was due to be replaced when the UK left the European Union (EU), but its CDS replacement was not ready to handle the large increase in customs declarations, so... Read more

UK inches towards potential EU trade war – impact on European logistics

After the PM’s trip to Northern Ireland this week failed to trigger any progress in the dead-locked political situation, the government has announced plans to table legislation that will scrap parts of the Northern Ireland protocol, in spite of fears that it could initiate a trade war with the ... Read more

EU/UK border controls set for July put back again

The UK government has again delayed the introduction of further border controls on goods from the EU, due for implementation from July, pushing them back until the end of 2023, suggesting it did not want to add more costs at a time of fast-rising inflation. New import controls, including on EU... Read more

Importers from EU risking fines and worse

The EU introduced full import controls at the end of the Brexit transition period, while the UK government has now delayed full import control four times, with concerns rising that UK importers are not making appropriate declarations, risking fines and penalties. The UK government’s own... Read more

HMRC’s new declaration system: What you need to do

The Customs Declaration Service (CDS) will become the only UK customs platform when HMRC starts to phase out its legacy CHIEF system later this year and businesses importing goods into the UK need to take action on the government gateway. Launched over 30 years ago the customs handling of impo... Read more