On 1 January 2021 the transition period with the European Union will end, and the United Kingdom will operate a full, external border as a sovereign nation. This means that controls will be placed on the movement of goods between Great Britain and the EU.
To afford industry extra time to make necessary arrangements, the UK Government has taken the decision to introduce the new border controls in three stages up until 1 July 2021.
- Stage 1 – January 2021: one of the key elements in this stage is the handling of controlled and non-controlled products, and what type of customs declaration needs to be submitted (Normal, Simplified or delayed). In addition, all traders need to ensure an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number, commodity code of goods, customs value of goods, and others are in place.
- Stage 2 – April 2021: products of animal origin and all regulated plants and plant products will require pre-notification and the relevant health documentation/certificates.
- Stage 3 – July 2021: all customs procedures will be applicable, including the Entry Summary Declaration, and the controls will be intensified.
Source gov.uk
