Category: Brexit

While the EU/UK vaccine spat has underlined the interconnectivity of supply chains, Boris Johnson is putting an invisible trade barrier between France and the UK and 25% of UK SMEs have stopped exporting to the EU altogether. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is... Read more

The extension of import border controls is good news for some importers but may undermine negotiations with the EU for reciprocal easements and highlights the challenges still faced by exporters. Imports from the EU, which fell 28.8% in January, maybe buoyed by the government’s decision to ... Read more

Michael Gove informed parliament last week that the introduction of stricter EU import controls, in line with Phases 2 and 3 of the government’s Border Operating Model, are to be delayed by at least six months. The minister for the Cabinet Office insisted that the go... Read more

There’s much more to the UK’s freeports than the ability to move goods tariff-free, with businesses potentially enjoying domestic tax breaks and cheaper employee costs, to encourage manufacturing, jobs and investment, in areas that would otherwise struggle to attract them. In his Budget la... Read more

Postponed VAT Accounting (PVA) was devised ahead of Brexit, to avoid the negative cash flow impact of an additional VAT bill at the EU/UK border. Since 1st January 2021, businesses registered for VAT that import goods into the UK from anywhere in the world - and not just the EU -  can use... Read more

Boris Johnson has set the country on a “cautious” road-map for restoring normal life and economic activity by June 21st, with government support for the economy for months to come. There are four main stages (see below) in the road-map for the lifting of coronavirus restrictions, run... Read more

Technology is the solution to the efficient movement of goods between Great Britain and the EU, and the mainland with Northern Ireland in the post-Brexit transition world. Live for GB/NI trade since the 1st January 2021, the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) is a critical border tool parti... Read more

Importers and exporters are gradually adapting to the new processes triggered by the move to a 3rd country trading regime with the EU and the paperwork that has ensued. But a serious lack of customs clearance capacity in the UK will continue to impede cross-Channel trade for the unprepared. In... Read more

In the fourth quarter of 2020 the UK’s trade deficit widened by an astounding £10.9bn, as companies' stockpiling accelerated ahead of the end of the EU transition period, barely pausing during French border disruption, to stop the spread of the Kent coronavirus variant. No FTA review Des... Read more

The government has received around 40 bids for freeport status ahead of this month’s deadline, from port groups, airports and the Ford motor company. While there is some doubt that freeports will create “national hubs for trade” or “turbo-charge” the UK’s economic recovery in the s... Read more

Since the 1st January 2021, all European Union members are now a third country entity, which means the way you ship goods between the EU and UK has changed. Under the new rules, UK firms doing business with the EU face new processes, paperwork and checks, as we have been advising on a daily ba... Read more

Expectation of congestion at the UK’s primary Channel ports and the reluctance of foreign drivers to come to the UK, if their return journey was uncertain, prompted our preparation of alternative new RoRo and short-sea solutions. Before the UK joined the European Union less than half our con... Read more