The latest preparations for leaving the EU

BIFA has been advised that HMRC has issued 88,700 VAT registered businesses who trade with the EU with a UK EORI number, as part of the UK’s preparations for leaving the EU.

These businesses, who are unfamiliar with international trade will have probably not have understood the full implications of the UK leaving the EU and will not be able to move goods in and out of the UK without one.

HMRC have written to these businesses to let them know the UK EORI number they’ve been assigned and the next steps they need to take.

For those businesses that are not VAT registered and do not have a UK EORI number, they must apply now at www.gov.uk/hmrc/get-eori in order to commercially trade with the EU.

You can check the next steps you need to take to ensure that your business is ready for Brexit using the UK Government Trader Check list found online.

Additional information including guidance can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/topic/business-tax/import-export  and also traders can sign up for updates at the EU exit update service at https://www.gov.uk/email-signup/?topic=/government/brexit

BIFA has been specifically asked by HMRC to request Members to host this update on their websites, and also to make any of their customers who they feel may only be trading with EU countries aware of this announcement.

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