As the EU withdrawal transition period draws to an end (completes 31 December 2020) UK businesses face yet more adjustments in addition to those presented by COVID disruption.

Businesses that trade with the EU should by now have matters in hand to cope with cross-border trading from 1 January 2020. But what about businesses that move goods between the mainland and Northern Ireland? 

The government have issued instructions for traders moving goods from the mainland to Northern Ireland. If affected, you should be receiving a letter with details of a Trader Support Service and its benefits for UK businesses.

The service will:

• provide a free end-to-end support package to manage import and safety and security declarations on behalf of traders.
• educate businesses on what the protocol means for them, and the steps they need to take to comply with it. This will include online training sessions and webinars, with information being continually updated as we move closer to 1 January 2021
• be available to businesses moving goods into Northern Ireland under new processes in the Northern Ireland Protocol that start from 1 January 2021

It can help if you:

• are moving the goods yourself
• act on behalf of someone
• send parcels between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or bring parcels into Northern Ireland from outside the UK

If your business trades with Northern Ireland you should consider signing up for the Trader Support Service. Google the service to sign up online.