We are more than half a year into the new customs clearance regulations that Brexit has imposed on imports and exports and traders are desperate to know when, if at all, will UK and EU trade return to a sense of normality?

There has been an unprecedented amount of friction around export processes, particularly in the earlier weeks of the transition, however, we are still seeing a substantial amount of UK and EU business facing post-Brexit obstacles.  

Re-establishment of controls for the UK has been a major obstacle for many businesses, who are still trying to grasp a deeper understanding of all the necessary export declarations that need to be in place to get their goods from the UK to the EU on time. We have worked with businesses who are accustomed to a 24-hour delivery time but are now facing up to a week long turnaround. Looking to find out how long does customs clearance take? Click here.

We have seen the chaos that export controls at the French and other EU borders have caused and it is crucial to understand which paperwork is required. If you have this understanding of the process, then you can at least enter a ‘business as usual’ position. ‍

Do you need more information on processes? Watch our latest webinar here.

The next steps that businesses need to consider is understanding importing from the EU to the UK. Whilst the government easements on export controls have been a much-needed buffer stage for many businesses, we have the opportunity now to be in a far better position when import controls come into place than we were for exports.

What we want, come 1st January 2022, is to be prepared and in control of our movements to avoid the friction and chaos that we saw earlier this year. From a UK customs broker perspective, we are now looking to enter Phase 2, where traders are actively understanding rules of origin, eu import duties and other issues far in advance of the new border operating model. The decision to restructure UK/EU supply chains is exemplary, as it will in turn contribute to the future trade strategy of the UK and strengthen the smooth movement of goods across borders.  

So, will UK (United Kingdom) and EU (European Union) trade return to ‘normality’ without the friction we saw earlier this year?

The simple answer is: normal is gone. It’s a thing of the past. The most important message to bear in mind is the new controls, processes and formalities we have in place now are here to stay. We must remember that the UK has left the EU single market and EU customs union for good and now businesses must adapt to survive, encouraging their customers in the EU to continue to buy for them whilst making it as easy as possible for them to do so.  

Once we begin to normalise these new procedures and take them on board with confidence, then we’ll all begin to welcome the new normal. One thing we’ve said from the beginning; if your paperwork is correct, then you will have a much easier time continuing to trade.  

These issues are far from being insurmountable and one of the most important steps that Unsworth encourage you to do is to have a review of your supply chain. The key is preparation and understanding. Chat with one of our Customs Clearance Specialists who can take you through the processes that we’ve been helping our clients with and more details on our customs clearance services that have proven invaluable.