Preparing for Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol

18 November 2020

The Brexit Transition period will end on 1st January 2021 and the Northern Ireland Protocol will come into force.

The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 and the Brexit transition period will end on 1 January 2021. As the transition deadline looms it is now vitally important that you consider the impact that Brexit will have on you and your business. The UK continues to negotiate with the EU in relation to the terms of a trade deal. However, regardless of the outcome, there are necessary steps that must now be taken to ensure you and your business are ready.

The Northern Ireland Protocol comes into force on 1 January 2021.

There will be changes to the way goods move between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. You should act now to get your business ready for these changes. If you are not ready, you may not be able to move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021.

An easy way to get ready is to sign up for the free Trader Support Service which:

• will help if you move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or bring goods into Northern Ireland from outside the UK
• is free to use and will guide you through any changes to the way goods move between Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• can complete declarations on your behalf

It can help if you:

• are moving the goods yourself
• act on behalf of someone
• send parcels between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or bring parcels into Northern Ireland from outside the UK

Sign up before 23 November 2020 to make sure your business gets a registration number that you’ll need to move goods from 1 January 2021.

Sign up now using the Trader Support Service website:

https://www.tradersupportservice.co.uk/tss

There are other useful resources to help you and your business prepare for Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Intertrade Ireland provide advice, training and funding to assist businesses both North & South of the border:

https://intertradeireland.com/managebrexit

The Northern Ireland Customs & Trade Academy (NICTA) is a new online learning platform preparing firms for new processes involved in moving goods under the Northern Ireland Protocol that starts from 1 January 2021.

https://www.nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk/

NI Direct Government Services provides important information and guidance for Businesses:

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/business-steps-take-changes-1-january-2021