Welcome to the latest information and guidance for business on the UK exiting the EU. This Bulletin aims to provide you with important information from Government and rally businesses to get ready for Brexit.
Brexit Business Readiness Events
As part of its new ‘Get ready for Brexit’ campaign, the Government is running a series of
free business readiness events across the UK during September and October.
These free events will offer businesses help and advice on how to prepare for Brexit, enabling them to meet with government advisors to discuss what they need to do, understand what’s changing in their industry, and get information on specific rules and regulations. Each event will feature interactive support and advice stands and in-depth sessions led by subject matter experts. They will encourage businesses to use the new
checker tool to quickly identify what they need to do to ‘Get ready for Brexit’.
Please share this with your members and to find out more and book, visit
Brexit Business Readiness Events.
BRO Grant
On 29 August, Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom announced a £10m Business Readiness Fund for business organisations and trade associations to bid for support to help companies prepare for a 'No Deal' Brexit ahead of 31 October. For further information please visit:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/business-secretary-launches-10-million-brexit-readiness-fund-for-business-organisations
The Business Readiness Fund is still open to business organisations and trade associations throughout the UK to support activity to fully prepare businesses for Brexit.
Activities funded by the grants must be open to both members and non-members, and to businesses large and small preparing for Brexit on 31 October. This will ensure all businesses will benefit and that there are no barriers, such as affordability of membership.
Applications for grants will be accepted up to
Monday 30 September and further information and application details can be found at
https://businessreadinessfund.beis.gov.uk . Funding will have to be used on activities to be completed ahead of 31 October in order to ensure they are focused on Brexit preparations.
For any queries please contact us at
businessreadinessfundenquiries@beis.gov.uk
Brexit Business Readiness Forum
Our next forum will be on
Thursday 26 September, further details have been sent to relevant organisations under a separate cover.
We would really like to hear from you if there are any particular topics you would find useful for our upcoming forums. Please share your thoughts via
sed@beis.gov.uk.
British Library ebinars
We are working with the British Library to produce a series of webinars to help prepare businesses for Brexit. The first webinar will be next
Monday 30th September at 2pm covering he regulation of manufactured goods covered by the “New Approach” (i.e. mostly CE marked goods) in the event of no deal. Topics covered will include CE and UKCA Marking, Notified Bodies, conformity assessment, importer duties and declarations of conformity, and there will be the opportunity to ask questions.
All details can be found
here and the link will be live from 1:30pm on Monday 30
th September.
HMRC Helpline and Guidance
On Monday 16 September, HMRC launched the EU Exit Import and Export Trader Helpline for traders and hauliers importing from / exporting to the EU after October 31.
The helpline number is 0300 3301 331. Lines will be open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday.
SME Leaflet
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have produced a leaflet for SMEs to help them prepare for leaving the EU. You can find it
here.
Internal Markets
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is working with Treasury on practical ways to ensure goods and services circulate freely within the four nations of the UK, post EU Exit. (The project complements work being led by Cabinet Office to develop common frameworks that support collaboration in specific policy areas between the Devolved Administrations and UK Government.)
In order to ensure businesses and consumers are well represented as part of this work, we would like speak to businesses to understand how changes within the UK internal market could impact their members post EU Exit.
We’re interested in:
- Whether your members’ businesses interact with businesses based in other UK nations?
- Whether you have any experience of managing different UK country specific regulations within your members’ supply chains?
- Would any regulatory divergence impact the flow of goods/people/services within your members’ domestic supply chains?
- What interaction would you like with government to raise and address any issues?
Recent Announcements
Regulations
The Department for Health and Social Care have produced guidance for businesses supplying medicines and medical devices about plans for a ‘No Deal’ Brexit.
Update - information on the more flexible approach suppliers can now take to help ensure the continuity of medical supplies following Brexit. It is a summary of the advice in the government’s 26 June 2019 letter to suppliers, presented as actionable guidance.
Businesses supplying medicines and medical devices: preparing for Brexit
DEFRA have produced guidance on how to comply with the EU's REACH chemical regulations when you're using, making, selling or importing chemicals in the EU, and how to prepare for a no deal Brexit.
Update - Added link to the process maps collection
How to comply with REACH chemical regulations
IPO and BEIS have produced guidance on changes to trade mark law in the event of no deal from the European Union.
Update - Changes to trade mark law in the event of Brexit without a withdrawal agreement updated.
Changes to trade mark law in the event of Brexit without a withdrawal agreement.
NEW – Department for Health and Social Care have produced guidance on what providers and commissioners of healthcare services can do to manage the risks of a no-deal Brexit.
How healthcare providers can prepare for Brexit
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have produced guidance how conformity assessment bodies will be affected when the UK leaves the EU.
Update - Updated to confirm that notified bodies who become approved bodies will keep the same 4-digit number as they have now.
Conformity assessment bodies: status after Brexit
Importing and Exporting
NEW – HMRC have provided guidance if you’ve chosen to account for import VAT on your VAT Return in a no-deal Brexit.
Complete your VAT Return to account for import VAT in a no-deal Brexit.
NEW – HMRC have provided guidance if you're a VAT-registered business find out when you can account for import VAT on your VAT Return for goods brought into the UK in a no-deal Brexit.
Check when you’ll need to account for import VAT in a no-deal Brexit.
DEFRA and the Animal and Plant Health Agency have created IPAFFS as the UK’s new notification system for importing animals and animal products.
Update - Revised page to explain more about what IPAFFS is – page will be updated when IPAFFS is open for registration and when any new import processes are confirmed.
Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS).
HMRC have created resources to help Brexit preparations.
Update - Page updated to include two documents: ‘How to import goods from the EU into the UK through roll on roll off (RoRo) locations after Brexit’ and ‘How to export goods into the EU through roll on roll off (RoRo) locations after Brexit’.
HMRC Brexit communications resources
NEW – DEFRA and the Food Standards Agency have published promotional material on the way you import to and export from the EU will change after Brexit. These flowcharts explain the new processes for meat and dairy products.
Farmers and food producers: steps to export meat and dairy to the EU after Brexit
NEW - DEFRA have published promotional material on the way you import to and export from the EU will change after Brexit. These flowcharts explain the new processes for chemicals.
Chemical exporters: steps to export chemicals to the EU after Brexit
NEW - DEFRA have published promotional material on the way you import to and export from the EU will change after Brexit. These flowcharts explain the new processes for exporting live animals.
Farmers and livestock exporters: steps to export live animals to the EU after Brexit
NEW - DEFRA have published flow charts for the way you import to and export from the EU will change after Brexit. These flowcharts explain the new processes for certain goods and products.
Flowcharts for import and export processes after Brexit
DEFRA have produced guidance on what you'll need to export animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products in a no-deal Brexit.
Update - Added link to the process maps collection.
Exporting animals and animal products in a no-deal Brexit
NEW - HMRC have produced guidance to find alternative offices of destination or departure when moving goods under Common Transit Convention through the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel in a no-deal Brexit.
Moving goods through the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel using common transit
NEW - HMRC have produced guidance regarding the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel cannot process ATA Carnets, so find out where to go when moving goods with an ATA Carnet in a no-deal Brexit.
Moving goods through the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel with an ATA Carnet
NEW - HMRC have produced guidance regarding the Port of Holyhead cannot process ATA Carnets, so you'll need to go to Roadking Truckstop when moving goods with an ATA Carnet in a no-deal Brexit.
Moving goods through the Port of Holyhead with an ATA Carnet
NEW – DEFRA have produced guidance on the movement of horses and other equines.
Updated guidance on the movement of equines in a no deal scenario
DIT have produced guidance on UK trade agreements with non-EU countries in a no-deal Brexit.
Update - Updated after signing of UK-Japan exchange of letters on mutual recognition of conformity assessment.
UK trade agreements with non-EU countries in a no-deal Brexit
NEW - DEFRA have published guidance on what you'll need to export animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products in a no-deal Brexit
. Exporting animals and animal products in a no-deal Brexit
VAT Changes
NEW - HMRC have produced guidance to help you find out how to claim VAT refunds from EU member states after Brexit.
Claim VAT refunds from EU countries after Brexit
NEW - HMRC have produced guidance to help you declare sales and pay VAT if you sell digital services to EU customers, by registering for VAT or VAT MOSS in an EU member state
. Pay VAT when you sell digital services to EU customers after Brexit
Accounting
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have produced guidance on how companies incorporated in the UK, or where the parent company is incorporated in the UK, can comply with UK accounting and reporting requirements after Brexit.
Update - Increased visibility of calls to action. Removed information about what EEA companies need to do after Brexit. This information has been moved to a new guide.
Accounting for UK companies after Brexit
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have produced guidance on ow EEA companies and groups with a presence in the UK can comply with UK accounting and reporting requirements after Brexit.
Update - moved information from the general accounting after Brexit guide. Increased visibility of calls to action.
Accounting for EEA organisations after Brexit
Food and Drink
DEFRA have produced guidance what you need to do to prepare your food and drink business for a no-deal Brexit.
Update - Added link to the process maps collection.
Prepare your food and drink business for a no-deal Brexit
Food Standards Agency has produce guidance on how to find out how businesses that hold or seek authorisations for GM food or feed or animal feed additives, or export animal feed to the EU, will be affected if there is a no-deal Brexit.
Exporting GM food and animal feed products if there is a no-deal Brexit
Business Support
Triage Tool
GOV.UK has an online checker tool to help businesses prepare for the UK leaving the EU. Businesses can use the Checker
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 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.
Ministry of Defence (MOD)
The defence sector and preparing for Brexit
There may be changes that affect businesses, if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. Please see details from the defence sector and preparing for Brexit
here.