The UK Government has ramped up preparations for the end of the transition period by publishing an updated Border Operating Model, which provides further detail on how the GB-EU border will work and the actions that traders, hauliers and passengers need to take.
The updated Border Operating Model gives traders further information on the changes and opportunities they need to prepare for as a result of the UK leaving the EU Single Market and Customs Union. These steps will be needed regardless of whether the UK reaches a trade agreement with the EU.
Key points of the updated Border Operating Model include:
- Mapping out the intended locations of inland border infrastructure. The sites will provide the necessary additional capacity to carry out checks on freight.
- An announcement that passports will be required for entry into the UK from October 2021 as the Government phases out the use of EU, EEA and Swiss national identity cards as a valid travel document for entry to the UK.
- Confirmation, after extensive engagement with industry, that a Kent Access Permit will be mandatory for HGVs using the short strait channel crossings in Kent. The easy-to-use ‘Check an HGV’ service will allow hauliers to check if they have the correct customs documentation and obtain a Kent Access Permit.
In a further move to support the customs intermediaries sector, the Government is also announcing that it will exercise an exemption within EU state aid rules to increase the amount of support that businesses can access from the Customs Grant Scheme. To date, the Government has provided more than £80m in funding to support the customs intermediary sector with training, new IT and recruitment.
You can find the official news story on the UK Government website which includes a link to the updated Border Operating Manual itself.
If you’d like to discuss this news, or trading with the EU more generally, please contact us.