Policy briefing: Brexit and EU negotiations

Business expertise should be leveraged following the agreed extension to the grace periods for trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

The government has announced an open-ended extension to grace periods for trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, as talks with the European Union over finding long-term solutions continue. The CBI welcome the time and space that this provides, stressing this time must be used wisely. Bringing in the expertise and experience of business can help break the deadlock in talks. The CBI are calling for a Business Consultative Group to be established immediately by the Joint Committee, to help find a mutually agreeable way through. The CBI will continue to keep members updated as these discussions progress.

Businesses should ensure they are ready for the approaching end of staged customs controls

Ahead of the phasing out of the Border Operating Model, there are key dates and changes for businesses to be prepared for. Businesses impacted by this will need to ensure that they, their intermediaries, and their supply chains are ready for the changes that will take place.

On 1 October new certification and document requirements will be required for products of plant and animal origin for goods moving from EU-GB. You can find out more information on the government guidance pages.

On 1 January 2022 physical checks on products of plant and animal origin at Border Control Posts will be required, in addition to full safety and security declarations and the end of the deferred declarations scheme which gave importers six months to submit declarations. See the full details on the government guidance pages.

The government have also launched a new service ‘Check How to Import and Export Goods' (CHIEG), which will provide UK businesses with the specific structured steps that they need to take to import goods into the UK by commodity code and country and will cater for exporters by integrating with the ‘Check duties and customs procedures for exporting goods’ service.

The CBI have successfully achieved a one-year extension to the UKCA grace period to 1 January 2023

At the end of August, the UK government announced an extension to the UKCA grace period from 1 January 2022 to 1 January 2023. The CBI have been calling for this since earlier this year, due to the challenges for pre-existing business models and supply chains to get ready in time for this new requirement.  The extension provides UK firms with much needed time to ensure full product ranges can comply with UKCA and will also reduce the immediate cost of re-designing products and external packaging – an additional cost for goods in their mid-life cycle. It will also support supply chains and the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

In the longer-term, the UK government should look to build on the approach taken during the grace period for labelling by examining further innovative opportunities to move towards an e-labelling process for goods.

Get involved

How is the new UK-EU trading relationship impacting your business? Want to share how you’re being affected by Brexit? The CBI is constantly communicating the latest insight to the highest levels of government and is actively influencing the government’s preparations. Get in touch to share what you’re experiencing and what you want to see done about it.

Services firms: what are the main challenges you are facing post Brexit? Share how you’re being affected by the new trading relationship with the EU and what you want to see done about it.