Minister urges firms to follow 6 EU Exit actions
20 January 2021
The government has launched a series of on-demand videos to help firms understand new rules on EU Exit, with Business Minister Paul Scully urging businesses ‘not to delay any further’.
In a statement on 18 January, Paul Scully outlined six key actions many firms need to take to complete their preparations for the UK’s new relationship with the EU:
- Goods: If you import or export goods to the EU, you must get an EORInumber, make customs declarations or employ an agent to do them for you, check if your goods require extra papers (like plant or animal products) and speak to the EU business you are trading with to make sure they are completing the right EU paperwork. There are also special rules that apply to Northern Ireland.
- Services: If you deliver services to the EU, you must check whether your professional qualification is recognised by the appropriate EU regulator.
- People: If you need to hire skilled staff from the EU, you must apply to become a licensed sponsor.
- Travel: If you need to travel to the EU for business, you must check whether you need a visa or work permit.
- Data: If your goods are protected by Intellectual Property (IP), you will need to check the new rules for parallel exporting IP protected goods from the UK to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
- Accounting and reporting: If your business has a presence in the EU you may need to change how you undertake accounting and reporting to ensure compliance with the relevant requirements.
To further support firms, the government has launched a series of new on-demand videos to help businesses familiarise themselves with the new rules. Topics include importing and exporting, trade, data, and audit and accounting. Businesses can select which videos to view from the list, or can choose their sector and see videos that are recommended for them.
The Business Minister added:
“The UK is finally out of the EU single market and customs union, and business is changing. Many businesses have made great strides to get ready for the UK’s new start, but we know some are further behind.
“To avoid any potential disruption to your business, you must not delay - make your final preparations now. The government will be here to help businesses navigate this change. You can use this checklist, watch our on-demand videos, or visit gov.uk/transition to get personalised advice.”