News

Why does my business need an EORI number?

There has been a lot of talk recently from government departments and business and trade organisations, such as ourselves at the British Chambers of Commerce, about the importance of traders requiring an EORI number. Many companies that trade exclusively with the European Union at present may not know what they need to do or why it is important.

New TCA clause allowing export and return of goods for repair to and from the EU

There is a new clause in EU-UK Trade Cooperation Agreement (TCA), that permits us to send goods to the EU for repair without them having to be approved for a special customs procedure such as Outward Processing relief (OPR).

Trading with Northern Ireland

When the UK left the European Union, special arrangements were put in place for trading with Northern Ireland. Here we examine the current operation of the protocol. It is important to remember that Great Britain (GB) includes England, Scotland and Wales, and does not include Northern Ireland. The UK includes GB and Northern Ireland. The purpose of these arrangements was to prevent a hard border being imposed between Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (RoI). The EU wishes to prevent goods sent from GB to NI from moving to the EU unless they comply with EU regulations.

How should small businesses who trade with any EU approach VAT to ensure compliance?

As the UK is now outside of the EU, how VAT is applied and collected is now potentially more complex. So how should small businesses who trade with any EU approach VAT to ensure full compliance? Unfortunately, we know many of the businesses already stop trading with Europe. Many small companies simply don't have the resources to navigate the complexities of the post-Brexit trade successfully and instead choose to focus on scaling their UK operations. "If you do wish to continue trading with Europe, be sure to evaluate how your business will be affected by the new guidelines. Remove yourself from any obsolete VAT requirements and either register for the new IOSS scheme or work with your partner digital marketplace to ensure you have all the information necessary to process sales correctly".

Saudi Arabia - new restrictions on the import of plastic articles

Saudi Arabia — New Restrictions on the Import of Plastic Articles Saudi Arabia has implemented new restrictions on the import of plastic articles under the enforcement of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) Technical Regulation for degradable goods and all types of packaging material (including secondary packaging material) that are manufactured with polyethylene or polypropylene. All degradable plastic products that are to be imported must bear the SASO “Oxo-biodegradable” logo. The import of non-biodegradable plastic bags is prohibited.

International Trade Report

This report summarises findings collected as part of the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Quarterly Economic Survey for Q1 2021. Fieldwork was conducted between 15th February and 8th March.

SME Training Grant Scheme Available

What can the training grant be used for? • How to complete customs declarations • How to manage customs processes and use customs software and systems • Specific import and export related aspects including VAT, excise and rules of origin Customs declarations or other declarations required to complete customs processes in the UK or EU, such as safety and security declarations.