HMRC has published a check list of issues you will need to deal with prior to 31 October 2019.

The check list has been sent to all businesses that already trade with the EU or the rest of the world.

The text of the letter is reproduced below, and this contains the links to the step-by-step guides.

We can provide assistance with the implementation required, please call if you need help.

Letter from HMRC:

We are writing to you because our records show that you are a VAT registered business and you trade with the EU and the rest of the world. This means that you will be affected by changes when the UK leaves the EU on 31 October 2019.

As you already trade with countries outside the EU, you’ll have a UK Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number starting with the letters ‘GB’. You will need this for importing and exporting when we leave the EU.

If you deal with the customs processes of EU Member States, you may need to get an EU EORI number too. Find out if you need an EU EORI by reading our EORI myth buster, go to www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrcbrexit-communications-resources.

Next steps you need to take to get ready for Brexit

Once you have your EORI number starting with ‘GB’ there is more that you can do to get your business ready. You can:

  • use the checklist overleaf to start working through the actions and decisions that you need to make now
  • go online to find more detailed step by step guides - for importers, go to www.gov.uk/prepare-import-to-uk-after-brexit - we recommend that you talk to the person who helps you with customs declarations now - for exporters, go to www.gov.uk/prepare-export-from-uk-after-brexit - focus on understanding what information you’ll need to give to the person you are selling to, so that they can complete the transaction
  • keep up-to-date with the latest Brexit news, including details of upcoming webinars we are running on importing and exporting with the EU after 31 October - register for our free email update service, go to www.gov.uk/hmrc/business-support and select ‘business help and education emails’, then select ‘Brexit’

With just over one-month to go before the current Brexit deadline, we recommend that you access the check lists and work through the issues raised. The temptation to wait and see what happens should be resisted as this could leave you exposed if we do exit at the end of October.