Looks like we are heading for a no-deal exit from the EU

If the following criteria apply, this is what our government recommend that you do from 1 January 2021:

You:

• Are British
• Live and work in the UK
• Travel to the EU for business reasons
• Have no plans in the short-term to travel abroad for holidays
• Do not plan to move to the EU
• Run and/or own a business in the UK
• Do not employ EU citizens in your business
• Do not exchange any form of personal data with customers or suppliers in the EU
• Do not sell your products or services to the UK public sector
• Do not rely on intellectual property protection
• Do not have a website with an .eu domain
• Import and export goods from and to the EU
• Are manufacturers of consumer goods

If the above apply to your circumstances, our government advises that you need to attend to the following matters to comply with our new trading relationship with the EU from 1 January 2021:

1. URGENT Check what you need to do to export to the EU from 1 January 2021
2. URGENT Check what you need to do to import from the EU from 1 January 2021
3. URGENT Decide how you want to make customs declarations and whether you need to get someone to deal with customs for you.
4. Check if you need to pay a tariff on the goods you import from 1 January 2021
5. Get an EORI number that starts with GB to move your goods into or out of the EU. It takes up to a week and you will not be able to move your goods into or out of the EU without an EORI number.

There are also a number of specialist issues that you may have to consider including:

1. Moving goods between or through common transit countries including the EU
2. How to comply with REACH chemical regulations
3. Exporting controlled goods from 1 January 2021
4. Meeting climate change requirements from 2021
5. Movement of wood packaging material from 2021
6. Trading and moving endangered species protected by CITES
7. Applying for a trade remedies investigation

Additionally, you and your family will need to consider

1. Taking out travel insurance and health insurance before travelling to the EU.

2. Check if you need a visa or work permit.

3. Check your mobile contract as providers may reintroduce roaming charges.

4. Allow more time at border crossings.

We will need to get used to treating countries in the EU as non-local. Borders will be re-established at the end of December, no more quick-access to EU gates in airports.

Hopefully, you will have attended to most of these issues already. If not, use the hyperlinks in our text to find out what’s to do next. And call if you want to discuss these or your wider options as we grapple with Brexit and COVID-19.