Page last updated 31.03.2021

The UK has left the EU, and the Brexit transition period came to an end on the 31 December 2020. There will be guaranteed changes for which businesses must prepare.

This webpage has been created to gather in one place all information, advice and guidance that businesses in Hull and East Yorkshire may need. The Growth Hub team will strive to update this webpage as regularly as possible; any updates will be communicated via our mailing list, which you can sign up to here.

If you would like support in navigating this information, advice and guidance, you can contact your local Growth Hub advisor team who can guide you through and help with all your enquiries – find your local advisor team here.

Business Events
We have a list of events for businesses in our area including BREXIT support events. You can see the list here

Survey

HEY LEP Survey
We would like to know how leaving the EU has had any impact on your business (Positive or Negative) and if you have any plans in place to deal with these impacts. Please complete our survey and we will feed back information to HM Government.

EU Exit Survey

Page Contents

1. New Deal
2. Essential Advice for All Businesses
3. Topic-Specific Advice for Businesses
4. FAQ’s
5. Other Sources of Information, Advice & Guidance
6. Crucial steps for all importers and exporters to take now
7. Keep your business moving. Get ahead of new rules for doing business with the EU

New deal

A deal with the EU has been reached and businesses should take action to ensure that their business operations can run smoothly as new rules apply. Businesses should prioritise taking any actions as soon as possible in the new year. 

The links below provide more information to support business:

• Use the Brexit checker tool for a personalised list of actions.
• If you move goods into, out of, or through Northern Ireland, check the latest Northern Ireland Protocol guidance here.
• For guidance on Rules of Origin see here. 
• For details of the new arrangements for hiring workers from the EU see here.
• For travelling to Europe check here and for passports here.
• For Data Protection and Data Flows check here.

View and download the Governments general advice for the New Trade deal ( PDF file) Here

View and download the Governments advice to business sectors for the new Trade deal ( PDF file) Here

EU Settlement Scheme: New Assets and Information

You can still apply for the EU Settlement Scheme, as long as you have reasonable grounds for submitting a late application.

Government Grants to help small and medium-sized businesses new to importing or exporting

The SME Brexit Support Fund could give you up to £2,000 to help with training or professional advice, if your business has up to 500 employees and no more than £100 million annual turnover. View here

Essential Advice For All Businesses

The best place to get support and information on how to prepare is GOV.UK/transition, which includes:

• A transition checker tool so your business can get personalised results about the specific actions they need to take;
• A live list of upcoming webinars where businesses can sign up to engage with experts
• The latest news from the government
• Business Readiness bulletins, which you can sign up to here

DIT has updated UKGT guidance to clarify that the existing commodity code system will continue to apply from 1 January 2021 onwards.
DIT has updated the list of Existing UK trade agreements with non-EU countries
DIT has launched a new online service to find commodity codes for products being importing into the UK. There is a different service to find commodity codes for exporting.

HMRC has updates Guidance on exporting excise goods to the EU from 1 January 2021, with information regarding declaring a change in destination for goods in flight.

HMRC Transition Videos: HMRC has produced a playlist of videos that outline the new trading processes and requirements that were introduced on 1 January 2021. 

BEIS has updated guidance on designated standards, with new information on general product safety from 1 January 2021. 
BEIS has launched a series of on-demand video to help UK businesses understand the new rules for doing business with Europe. The videos cover 18 topic areas with additional information for different sectors. You need to to register for immediate access to the videos
See the BEIS BREXIT webinars here

Transition Period Helplines: Cabinet Office has published a central Brexit Transition Helplines page, organised by themes and key actions .

Right to Work Leaflet: The Home Office has produced a Right to Work Leaflet, targeted at UK businesses hiring EU citizens between 1 January and 30 June 2021. Employers can use this during the grace period to clarify requirements to new and existing EU, EEA and Swiss employees. This provides clear information for individuals on their rights and obligations depending on when they arrive in the UK. 

Topic-Specific Advice For Businesses

Businesses in different industries and with different business operations will have different steps they will need to take. The best way to learn which changes will affect your business is by using the transition checker tool on GOV.UK to obtain a bespoke list of steps that you need to take now.

We have also created separate webpages for each key change that EU Transition poses, and these are as below.

Frequently Asked Questions

EU Transition is a complex issue and the various changes that are coming to “doing business” from 1st January 2021 are quite technical in nature. We have therefore created a FAQ webpage that provides some clarity and jargon-free guidance on the various matters associated with EU Transition, which can be found here.

Other Sources of Information, Advice & Guidance

Many business support, business membership and trade associations have created useful web-based resources relating to EU Transition. Most of these resources are free to access, however some require paid-for membership status to access.

We have created below a list of other sources of information, advice & guidance. Please note that the HEY Growth Hub is not responsible for the content of external websites.

crucial steps for all importers and exporters to take now

Ensure your company is registered for both imports and exports.

Does your UK company have an EORI number that starts with GB? From 1 January 2021 you will need this to move goods between the UK and the EU.

Visit here to get an EORI number. Remember to apply for your EORI number in advance, it can take up to a week to get one.

Make sure the classification of your goods (tariff/commodity code) are correct

Use the Trade Tariff  to look up commodity codes, duty and VAT rates. Find out how to contact HMRC in order to get help with a commodity code and what information you will need to send them.

Ask HMRC for help to classifying your goods or find out how to get a legally binding decision on the commodity code to use for your goods

Apply for a Binding Tariff Information decision

Be ready for the new customs paperwork.

Regardless of whether a deal is reached between the UK & EU, import and export customs declarations with be required for the movement of goods as of 1^st January 2021.

It is estimated that the number of customs declarations will increase from 50 million to 200 million. Exporters are urged to speak with their customs broker or import-export agent who acts on their behalf to secure the service they need beyond the 31^st December or look at setting up your business to make declarations internally.

Customs declarations for goods you bring or receive into the UK or EU

HMRC has made funding of £50 million available to enhance its Customs Grant Scheme. Since the 29^th July 2020, organisations have been able to apply for funding to reimburse a number of costs associated with increasing their capacity and enhancing their ability to complete customs declarations, ahead of the new rules from January 2021.

Further information about the Customs Grant Scheme .

Check the new UK tariff for imported goods.

From the 1st January 2021, the UK will apply a UK-specific tariff to imported goods. 

This UK Global Tariff (UKGT) will replace the EU’s Common External Tariff, which applies until 31st December 2020.

Check the tariffs that will apply to goods you import when the UK Global Tariff takes effect on the 1st January 2021

Check UK trade tariffs from 1 January 2021

As we approach the end of the Brexit transition period it is important that businesses involved in international trade use this time to prepare for life outside the EU, including new customs arrangements.

Do you move goods to Northern Ireland?
The most up-to-date guidance on the Northern Ireland Protocol is on GOV.UK, including information on moving goods into, out of, or through Northern Ireland. See the agreements reached between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union. Here

New rules for selling services to the EU
Check the new rules for providing services to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. You risk not being able to continue providing services if you do not follow the new rules.
Rules for selling services to the EU

Update on Inland Border Facilities (IBF) guidance: Following feedback from industry, HMRC have thoroughly reviewed all guidance pages related to Inland Border Facilities, including: making it clear what documentation is required at sites; which sites are available across the country; as well as encouragement to utilise alternative sites to Waterbrook. In addition, HMRC have included information on site specific guidance on the functions available at each site. Further information can be found  Here

Value Added Tax EU Exit Transitional Provisions: Guidance about the VAT treatment of transactions of movements of goods, which span the end of the transition period, has been updated with information about goods in a warehousing regime. For more information. Here

List of customs agents and fast parcel operators: The list of agents and operators who can help submit customs declarations has been updated. For more information. Here

EU adopts ‘adequacy’ decisions allowing data to continue flowing freely to the UK
UK businesses and other organisations will benefit from unrestricted personal data transfers Here

UK and Singapore kickstart negotiations on cutting-edge digital trade agreement
The ambitious new digital trade agreement could remove barriers to digital trade and enable UK exporters to expand into high-tech markets. Here

Keep your business moving. Get ahead of new rules for doing business with the EU

On 1 January 2022, there will be changes for businesses in Great Britain who import from the EU. There will also be changes for UK businesses who sell goods in the EU.

Businesses moving goods from the EU to Great Britain need to prepare for import control changes which will take effect from 1 January 2022.

Customs declarations on imports from the EU to Great Britain must be completed at the time you or your courier/freight forwarder bring them into GB. Pre-notification will be required to import certain SPS goods, such as meat or plants, to GB from the EU. You will need to register for the relevant IT systems for animal and plant products to ensure your business is prepared for prenotification requirements from 1 January 2022.

If you sell goods to the EU, or buy goods from the EU and bring them into the UK, and they meet the rules of origin requirements, you will be able to use preferential tariffs.

To benefit from the preferential tariffs, you must have proof that:

● goods you import into the UK from the EU originate there

● goods you export to the EU originate in the UK

Throughout 2021, you have been allowed to export goods to the EU using reduced tariffs and get supplier declarations afterwards, to give you more time. From 1 January 2022, you must have supplier declarations (where required) at the time you export your goods.

If you cannot prove the origin of the products you’re importing or exporting, the full rate of customs duty will be charged.

Find out what you need to do, visit https://gov.uk/import-goods-into-uk and follow the step-by-step guide to prepare for import control changes.

To prepare for the changes to Rules of Origin, go to https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/rules-of-origin-for-goods-moving-between-the-uk-and-eu

To check if you need to pre-notify visit

● Plants – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-plants-and-plant-products-from-the-eu-to-great-britain-and-northern-ireland

● Animal products – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-of-products-animals-food-and-feed-system

For practical support with exporting your products, contact the Export Support Service online or by phone: