Following a seminar on how to prepare your members, customers and partners for Brexit on 9th October 2019 in Newcastle, a representative from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy shared the followed steps organisations should be considering:

Exporting and Importing

Businesses exporting to and importing from the EU should:

  • make sure they and/or their suppliers have an EORI number
  • check the rate of duty and tax (incl. VAT on exports) they will be liable to pay
  • consider applying for a duty deferment if they import regularly
  • check if they are subject to other regulations that are changing, e.g. labelling.

Guidance on trading with non-EU countries can be found through the Department of International Trade.

Supplying services to the EU

Those who supply services to the EU should:

  • check if they need a visa, work-permit or other documents to travel,
  • check the European Commission’s guidance to see if their professional qualifications will be recognised,
  • search the gov.uk website to find specific rules to comply with for each country they supply,
  • ensure they complete any cross-border mergers before Brexit and seek legal advice on individual cases.

Your employees

Those who employ EU citizens should ensure:

  • EU, EEA or Swiss citizens living in the UK check gov.uk for information, including how to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme, to continue living in the UK after 30th June 2021
  • that they continue to check a job applicant’s right to work in the same way as now until 1st January 2021
  • they do not to discriminate against EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.

Using and transferring data

Following Brexit, GDPR laws will continue to apply in the EU, however transferring personal data from the EU and select 3rd countries will now require alternative safeguards, pending an ‘adequacy decision’ from the EU.

Employers should:

  • consider alternative safeguards under GDPR to transfer personal data to the UK, including cloud storage
  • ensure compliance with 3rd country data protection regulations to transfer data to the UK from 3rd countries
  • continue to apply the same data protection standards as they do now
  • check if they need to appoint a European representative
  • remember UK roaming charges in the EU will not be regulated after Brexit.

What next?

By completing the 7 question Brexit Checker Tool, organisations will receive a bespoke report highlighting key actions to take that are relevant to them.

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