Changes to how you make Customs Declarations

24 Nov Changes to how you make Customs Declarations

Dear customer,

This week we’re giving you information about changes to the way you’ll make customs declarations from 1‌‌ ‌January‌‌ ‌2022 and how they’ll affect you buying or selling goods between Great Britain and the EU from the New Year.

We understand the challenge of adapting to changes such as this, and we appreciate how much you’re doing already to prepare.

Customs Declarations

From 1‌‌ ‌January‌‌ ‌2022, you will no longer be able to delay making import customs declarations under the Staged Customs Controls rules that have applied during 2021. Most customers will have to make declarations and pay relevant tariffs at the point of import.

Before 1‌‌ ‌January‌‌ ‌2022, you should consider how you are going to submit your customs declarations. You can appoint an intermediary, such as a customs agent, to deal with your declarations on your behalf or you can submit them yourself. For more information, go to gov‌‌.uk/hmrc‌‌/customs‌‌-on-your-behalf.

Some businesses already have a ‘Simplified Declarations’ authorisation from HMRC that allows their goods to be released directly to a specified customs procedure without having to provide a full customs declaration at the point of release.

If you want to use Simplified Declarations, you’ll need authorisation to do so. It can take up to 60 calendar days to complete the checks needed for this and therefore a new application made now may not be authorised before 1‌‌ ‌January‌‌ ‌2022. To find out more, go to GOV‌‌.UK and search ‘simplified declarations’.

You must use the correct country code for the country of origin and the country of dispatch when you complete your customs declaration. For EU countries, the individual country code of the relevant member state should be used. The EU country code must not be used and will be removed from systems shortly.

Where you can get help with importing and exporting

We have a range of webinars and YouTube videos on importing and exporting with the EU that you can watch by going to our help and support for UK transition page.

If you export to the EU, the recently launched government Export Support Service is a free service giving you access to online and phone support. You can access it on GOV.UK or by calling 0300‌‌ ‌303‌‌ ‌8955 where you will be put in touch with a member of the dedicated export support team.

Give us a call

Our customer service advisers are available to answer your queries on the Customs and International Trade helpline. They’ll help you with importing, exporting and customs reliefs. The helpline is open from 8‌‌am‌‌ ‌to‌‌ ‌10‌‌pm Monday‌‌ ‌to‌‌ ‌Friday and‌‌ ‌from 8‌‌am‌‌ ‌to‌‌ ‌4‌‌pm at weekends. Call 03‌‌00 32‌‌2 94‌‌34 to speak to an adviser.

We’ll continue to provide guidance and support to help you and your business, including information on GOV‌‌.UK, our popular live webinars and through this regular email.

Yours faithfully

Directors General, Borders and Trade, HMRC