Category: Customs

UK launching regional trade hubs, but Freeports face tariffs

The government is creating four regional trade and investment hubs to boost economic growth across the UK, but post-Brexit trade agreements with 23 different countries include clauses that exclude manufacturers in the Freeport’s from the deals. Whoops-a-daisy Liz Truss! The hubs will be... Read more

The outsourcer’s outsourcers

We have been providing outsourcing services since our inception 40 years ago and this critical service has grown over four decades, with the development of our UK and two international business process outsource (BPO) operations. Metro has spent 40 years managing and transforming the outsource... Read more

Food exporters highlight one of Brexit’s biggest impacts

This stunning article from The Grocer highlights the massive impact that the post-Brexit free trade agreement has had on one of our most vital business sectors. Food exporters have spent a total of 58 years filling out export health certificates so far this year as a result of the new post-Bre... Read more

Many UK exporters continuing to struggle with European trade post Brexit

Despite the UK economy edging 0.4% higher in February, helped by a partial rebound in trade with the EU as exporters learnt to deal with new Brexit border restrictions, many more are having to dramatically change their business model, or have simply stopped exporting to the bloc. In ... Read more

EU reduce ‘red-tape’ but food exporters face new barriers

The EU is to drop ‘Meursing codes’ from import declarations for manufactured food products coming from the UK in a major reduction of post-Brexit red tape, but new EU legislation covering multi-ingredient food products is expected to increase UK export health certificates by up to 3... Read more

UK Government extend EU import control easements

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

The freeport effect – what does it mean and what are the benefits

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

Brexit simplification offers VAT cashflow benefits not only for EU shipments but also for non-EU shipments

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

GVMS, the UK’s border IT system with the EU

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

Post-Brexit update ; Trading with the EU – import and export advice

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

EU border disruption impacting trailer availability

Problems finding import trailers from the EU is being blamed on the slowdown in exports from the UK, which are currently 30% below normal levels, but with continuing delays at the border, the more likely issue is it is less financially or operationally attractive for European hauliers to send the... Read more

Brexit update; Cross border EU traffic threatened

Increasing numbers of exporters are struggling to acquire critical transit documents, which allow goods to cross borders within the European Union, because of delays at issuing offices and difficulties obtaining or increasing transit guarantees. The Common Transit Convention (CTC) allows truck... Read more