Now that the UK has left the EU, there are actions that businesses need to take in order to adapt to the changes brought about by the UK leaving:
- the EU’s customs unions
- the EU’s single market
- the EU’s entire legal order
What actions do businesses need to take post Brexit?
There are changes and actions that many businesses will need to be aware of, including:
New rules for importing and exporting
There are new rules for importing and exporting goods between the UK and EU. These include custom declarations. It is likely that you will need to work with a specialist or freight forwarding company/fast parcel operator to complete import and export declarations.
Moving goods to and from Northern Ireland
You will need to check the latest guidance and follow the Northern Ireland Protocol if your business moves goods into, out of or through Northern Ireland.
Travelling abroad for work
Whilst under current COVID regulations most travel is banned, as we look to the coming months and the possible reopening of travel, there may be new travel rules that you need to abide by if you are travelling to the EU for business.
Ensure that you check the latest business travel rules well ahead of your planned trip to Europe.
Hiring staff from the EU
With the ending of free movement, the way your business hires from the EU has changed.
- A new points-based immigration system introduces job, salary and language requirements for those wanting to come to the UK to work.
- Businesses need a sponsor licence to hire eligible skilled workers from outside the UK. Getting a licence normally takes 8 weeks and fees apply.
Find full details on hiring from the EU on the gov.uk site.
Sector specific Brexit guidance for businesses
There are also some sector specific changes which will impact some businesses.
The government have put together sector specific guidance which addresses important actions that 10 sectors of the economy will need to take.
The 10 sectors included in the guide are:
- Aerospace
- Automotive
- Chemicals
- Construction
- Consumer Goods
- Electronics and machinery
- Life sciences
- Metals and materials
- Professional and business services
- Retail
You can find the sector specific guidance document at the end of this article.
Whatever your business, it is possible that you will see some impact of the UK leaving the EU. It’s important to keep up to date with the latest guidance and understand actions your business needs to take to comply with the new way of doing business with the EU. We’re working hard to keep our blog and social media updated with relevant Brexit information which businesses may find useful at this time.
