Import / Export Compliance

We provide IOR services for foreign importers and take care of every phase of the importation from customs clearance to the payment of duties and taxes. As the IOR for your products we are responsible for all paperwork relating to import of your products, customs classification and we will arrange the payment of duties and taxes.

A manufacturer in Germany supplies EU qualifying products to a GB company and zero tariffs applies. The GB company places the products within their common stock warehouse and later they are purchased by a company in the Republic of Ireland. Under the TCA rules of origin for preferential trade, these goods when imported into Ireland are not covered by the agreement and full tariffs apply.

Not having clearly defined export / import processes with the EU caused unnecessary documentation issues resulting in long delays at the ports and some vehicles being sent back to the UK. Exporters of food products from Great Britain (GB) were especially impacted due to their Export Health Certificates (EHCs) not being compliant with EU import regulations. Food exporters and their Official Veterinarians complete and issued these certificates in compliance with the directives of the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs.

We have been developing contingency plans to ensure our customers’ products are delivered correctly after 1 January 2021. Significant changes will occur once the UK has left the EU. All UK businesses will be required to provide Customs documentation for products exported to, or imported from the EU, even with the ‘EU Deal’ on Brexit. ICS, as part of our customer services, will be supporting companies with the necessary Customs documentation to comply with the new regulations.

XI EORI required for Northern Ireland. The Government have confirmed that businesses moving goods to or from Northern Ireland (NI) will need a special EORI number with a ‘XI’ country prefix.

On 14 October, the Government published the requirements for submitting Intrastat declarations after 1 January 2021. There will be no Intrastat requirement for the movement of goods exported from GB to the EU or goods imported from EU to GB, from 1 January 2022.

The UK Government has updated the rules for wine importers, exporters, producers, retailers and distributors, as from 1 January 2021.

The Government announced, during the Budget, that on 1 January 2021 Postponed VAT Accounting (PVA) will be introduced on imports. Currently, imported goods from a non-EU country are liable for payment of import VAT at the same time as customs duty. The process will provide importers with a new cashflow benefit, as they will be able to postpone VAT at the time of import, as opposed to paying it immediately upon importation.

The UK Government have stated that on 1 January 2021 the transition period with the European Union (EU) will end and the United Kingdom (UK) will operate a full, external border as a sovereign nation. This means that controls will be placed on the movement of goods between Great Britain (GB) and the EU. The UK Government have recognised the impact of coronavirus on UK businesses’ ability to prepare and therefore have announced that they will implement full border controls on imports coming into GB in three stages up until 1 July 2021.