EU Exit guidance for agri-food stakeholders from Defra
The Agri-Food chain stakeholder team at Defra has shared guidance to ensure that businesses are ready for leaving the EU on 31 October
Ensuring food chain supply resilience
Background
As part of preparations for exiting the EU, Defra are issuing and collating guidance to ensure that businesses are aware of forthcoming changes and ready for Brexit. The guidance includes events, webinars and documents describing steps that agri-food business need to undertake to be ready.
Events and webinars
Brexit Business Readiness Events
The Government is arranging Brexit Business Readiness Events across the UK to help you prepare, starting Monday 16 September. Take part in a free event in your area to meet government advisers and to find out what actions your business needs to take to prepare.
The events will combine a keynote address, interactive support, advice stands and in-depth sessions led by subject matter experts. They will provide you with specific business-focused advice and help. Register to attend an event
Department for International Trade (DIT): “Get ready for Brexit” business-facing workshops
As part of ongoing support for businesses, the Department for International Trade are running a series of events to help exporters to get ready for Brexit on 31 October. These events will be particularly useful for businesses who are exporting to the EU.
You’ll leave the event with a personalised action plan to prepare your business for Brexit. DIT will talk about impact to supply chains, changes to regulations and contracts, where to find tariff information, and what you might need to speak to customers and employees about, among a range of other topics.
See dates, locations and sign up - limited registration place available.
HMRC: “Getting ready for Brexit” webinars
HMRC are running a number of webinars for UK businesses involved in the movement of goods between the EU and the UK. Find out what you need to know to keep importing and exporting by signing up for a webinar.
New and updated guidance
Preparing hauliers and commercial drivers for Brexit
This week, the Department for Transport launched a new campaign to help hauliers and commercial drivers get ready for Brexit and ensure they have what they need from traders to get through border customs smoothly.
Hauliers and commercial drivers should make sure they have the correct documentation to travel to, from or through the EU when the UK leaves the EU.
Read the handbook for more information (published 9 September).
EORI mythbuster
An Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number is a unique customs ID for businesses.
To help you get ready for Brexit, HMRC have published an EORI mythbuster (published 9 September) which dispels common misconceptions about EORI numbers. We also have resources to help you prepare for importing and exporting after Brexit.
Trade continuity agreement with six African nations
On Tuesday, 10 September, the UK agreed trade continuity with six African nations. This Economic Partnership Agreement with the Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACU+M) will allow business to keep trading freely after Brexit.
Total trade in agri-food between the UK and SACU+M countries was £1.02 billion in 2018 (Note: 2018 data is subject to revision). The UK-SACU+M Economic Partnership Agreement will be subject to final checks before it is formally signed.
Read the full press release and find out which other trade agreements will be in place after Brexit (updated 12 September).
In addition, the details of the trade continuity agreement between the UK and South Korea have been published (updated 11 September).
UK employers sending workers to the EU, EEA or Switzerland
If your employee is working in the EU, EEA or Switzerland and has a UK-issued A1/E101 form, they will remain subject to UK legislation for the duration of the period shown on the form. However, if the date of their form goes beyond 31 October, please contact the relevant EU, EEA or Swiss authority to confirm whether your employee needs to start paying social security contributions in that country from that date, as well as National Insurance contributions in the UK.
Find out how to do this(published 4 April).
News and resources
Food and drink showcase dropbox with shareable resources
Click here or copy this link into a compatible browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) to view the new Food and Drink sector showcase dropbox: https://showcase.dropbox.com/s/The-food-and-drink-sector-preparing-for-Brexit-3AcMHYJ8ofCGpw3EobAIm.
You are encouraged to download these assets for use on your own channels.