9 minute read
International Trade
Don’t let Brexit hold you
back from business!
Despite the challenges created by leaving the EU as well as the Covid-19 pandemic, Liverpool Chamber has been working with organisations of all sizes and sectors across the region. Liverpool Chamber’s International Trade Manager, Elena Enciso has spoken with member businesses who have been working to navigate new trade barriers and adapt their businesses to achieve national and global success.
Insette L.E.C (L’POOL) LTD, have been manufacturing aerosols for over 45 years. Based in Wavertree, they produce around 25 million aerosols a year and manufacture Haircare, Bodycare and Household products under their brands Insette & Studio. They also produce aerosols for some prestigious label brands too.
Debbie Dwyer, Director of Insette told us since 2020 the manufacturers have faced several challenges due to ever-changing legislation.
“We import and export to over 20 countries worldwide. Since Brexit and the Pandemic in 2020 we have faced more and more challenges. Additional customs clearing and legislation changes have kept us on our toes!
Insette, the global manufacturers have also had to adapt to haulage issues leading to production delays and cost increases.
Debbie told us “With the current situation with haulage issues here in the UK, we can face serious delays in receiving goods. Goods can get held up at port due to port operations or no haulage availability, this then causes extra costs. Late deliveries also then have an effect on our production capacity. We are facing more and more cost increases, it really has been unprecedented.
“With Imports and Exports an important part of the economy, the port / haulage situation really could do with looking into at a parliamentary level as the situation does not seem to be improving at all. As more changes to customs declarations, border controls, rules of origin, commodity codes and more take effect in January 2022, trading businesses must stay on top of new legislation to avoid unwanted delays.
Director of Insette, Debbie Dwyer explains the upcoming changes in legislation will provide challenges, and suggests ways of keeping up with these changes.
“With more changes due January 2022, it’s an ever-evolving situation and looks like the next 12 months will continue to challenge us.
We try to keep up to date with the changes by being connected with our local Chamber of Commerce and HMRC updates / webinars.”
Liverpool Chamber are proud to support businesses and are here to provide trade support services, from export documentation and international trade training to guidance and funding. To view a full range of our international support services, including the free Brexit Hub Resource visit https://www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk/what-
we-do/international-trade/
Liverpool Chamber member Brunswick International, headquartered in Hunts Cross,
will embark on a huge expansion in 2022 with new offices in New Jersey and Shanghai
The long-established business, which has been headquartered in Liverpool for more than 30 years, is set to open new offices in America and China next year as well as in London.
The company originally started in Brunswick Dock before moving to Kirkdale 20 years ago. Last year, they opened a new £2million headquarters in Hunts Cross.
Brunswick International has reported significant growth in their business since Brexit with their customs department increasing in trade by a whopping 500%. This is largely due to companies needing assistance with the new documentation requirements to move goods throughout the world as a result of Britain leaving the Customs Union.
The firm is also reporting increased operations within the American and Chinese markets which will see the opening offices there.
The first international office will open in US state New Jersey in the first half of 2022 and this will be followed by a premises in Shanghai towards the end of the year. Brunswick International co-founder Steve Crane said: “Everyone at Brunswick International is extremely excited for what will be a huge 2022. Over the last 30 years the company has embarked on a solid trajectory of growth which has sped up significantly during the last couple of years.
“The opening of further offices in America and China as well as our new office in London will be game changing for the business. It will position us as a world leader in logistics and that is our ambition. Increased work from the United States and China mean this is essential for our growth.
“There has never been a better time to be involved in the logistics business. The solid foundations we have built at Brunswick will future-proof our facilities and allow us to thrive as technology in the industry advances and we globalise further.”
Hexsor Scientific Steps Out
with New Markets 2 Support
Hexsor Scientific works with organisations all over the world developing solutions for the analysis of water and air (and other liquids and gases) that have real impacts for businesses and communities, and that respond to some of the most serious challenges faced by global society.
Only, over the past 18 months most of our ‘global’ activities have been undertaken remotely, from the relative comfort of our Liverpool-based office. More recently, as the UK’s own restrictions on international travel have been relaxed, and other countries have begun to open their borders again, we have been able, quite literally, to step back out into the world.
With support from the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce (LCC) and the New Markets 2 programme (NM2), we have travelled to engage in person with major water sector stakeholders across India and Greece and showcased Hexsor’s smart analytical solutions – something which would have proved extremely difficult during the pandemic. Now, with an increased travel budget courtesy of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and the New Markets 2 programme, we are planning further trips during 2022 to develop our projects in India and Greece, others associated with our ongoing water quality project in South Africa, and others still connected with new opportunities in Australia.
After more than a year of doing business online, both our staff and our clients have a new found appreciation for doing business face-to-face and, thanks to Liverpool Chamber and the New Markets 2 programme, our capacity to build and maintain relationships with international clients old and new is better than ever.
To find out more about the New Markets 2 programme please visit https://www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk/what-we-do/business-support/new-markets-2/ or contact Ian.Bulmer@liverpoolchamber.org.uk
International Traders: The Clock ticks down
If you’re a trader, a number of things have changed from 1 January 2022. This information will help you get ready.
Customs declarations
You will no longer be able to delay making import customs declarations under the Staged Customs Controls rules that have applied during 2021. Most customers will have to make declarations and pay relevant tariffs at the point of import.
Some businesses already have a ‘Simplified Declarations’ authorisation from HMRC that allows their goods to be released directly to a specified customs procedure without having to provide a full customs declaration at the point of release.
If you want to use Simplified Declarations, you’ll need authorisation to do so. It can take up to 60 calendar days to complete the checks needed for this and you will also need to have a Duty Deferment Account in place.
Border controls
Ports and other border locations will be required to control goods moving Great Britain and the EU. This means that unless your goods have a valid declaration and have received customs clearance, they will not be able to be released into circulation, and in most cases will not be able to leave the port.
From 1 January 2022, your goods may be directed to an Inland Border Facility for documentary or physical checks if these checks cannot be done at the border.
Rules of origin – for imports and exports
The UK’s deal with the EU, called the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), means that the goods you import or export may benefit from a reduced rate of Customs Duty (tariff preference). To use this, you need proof that the goods you: • import from the EU originate there
• export to the EU originate in the UK
By ‘originate’ we mean where goods (or the materials, parts or ingredients used to make them) have been produced or manufactured. It is not where the goods have been shipped or bought from. Your goods will need to meet the product specific rules of origin requirements set out in the TCA.
UK and EU importers can claim tariff preference if they have one of the following proofs of origin:
• a statement on origin – this must be made out by the exporter to confirm that the product originates in the UK or EU
• the importer’s knowledge – this option allows the importer to claim tariff preference based on their own knowledge of where the goods they’re importing originate from
If you export goods to the EU and you provide the EU importer with a statement on origin, you may also need to have a supplier declaration in place. These are needed to confirm the origin of the goods you’re exporting when the manufacture alone is not enough to meet the product specific rules of origin.
Throughout 2021, you have been allowed to export goods to the EU using tariff preference and get supplier declarations afterwards, to give you more time. But from 1 January 2022 you must have supplier declarations (where required) at the time you export your goods.
If you cannot provide a supplier declaration to confirm the UK origin of goods you exported to the EU between 1 January and 31 December 2021, you must let your customer know.
If you’re subject to a request for verification by EU customs authorities and you can’t provide this supporting evidence, your EU customer will be liable to pay the full (nonpreferential) rate of Customs Duty and we may also charge you a penalty.
Postponed VAT Accounting
If you’re a VAT-registered importer, you can continue to use Postponed VAT Accounting (PVA) on all customs declarations that require you to account for import VAT, including supplementary declarations, except when HMRC have told you otherwise. PVA has already provided significant cash flow benefits for thousands of our customers, and we expect that most businesses will choose to use it.
Commodity codes
Commodity codes are used worldwide to classify goods that are imported and exported. They are standardised up to 6-digits and reviewed by the World Customs Organisation every 5 years. Following the end of the latest review, the UK codes will be changing on 1 January 2022.
Read Government guidance on finding commodity codes for imports into or exports out of the UK which includes information on using the ‘Trade Tariff Tool’ to look up the correct commodity codes.
You can also check the Government Trade Tariff news page.
Further changes from 1 July 2022
Further changes will be introduced from July 2022, which we’ll let you know more about nearer the time.
These will include:
• Requirements for full safety and security declarations for all imports
• New requirements for Export Health
Certificates
• Requirements for Phytosanitary
Certificates
• Physical checks on sanitary and phytosanitary goods at Border Control
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