Are we prepared for import controls post-Brexit?

At the beginning of 2021, the UK Government dropped full border controls, when Brexit, in combination with the chaos caused by the pandemic, threatened to shut down UK-continental Europe supply chains. But businesses now need to prepare for the end of the transition.

To meet this demand, we’ve increased our customs clearance solutions to help businesses prepare for the changes when UK customs authorities demand full declarations to be completed before allowing shipments across the border.

Come the deadline on the 1 January 2022, the sector needs to be ready. We don’t believe it is. The Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) system should have thousands of companies registered on it, but it’s currently much less, and through conversations with our customers, in the EU, there is great confusion about the changes.

The start of the New Year will see the implementation of import controls – there are no plans to delay this; customs declarations will be due on 1 January and so we are urging businesses to prepare. If businesses are not prepared, goods will not be released by customs until all duty and VAT and accurate documentation is submitted, resulting in costly delays. By preparing now, exporters are able to remove the risk of underpaying duty and VAT which could lead to potential fines and additional changes at a later stage.

Whether you are a large multinational company, a small business or an individual, a customs declaration is required for all goods imported into the UK customs territory across international borders. The team is prepped and ready for the demand ensuring that we can keep the flow of goods moving into and out of the UK and EU.

Talk to our team to understand more about our Customs services