In another move that the European Union is preparing for the UK to leave the bloc on March 29 with no exit agreement, the European Commission on Monday stepped up its “no-deal” outreach to EU businesses in the area of customs and indirect taxation such as value-added tax (VAT), given the risk that the UK may leave the EU without a deal.
The outreach campaign is part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to prepare for the UK’s exit of the European Union without a deal, in line with the European Council (Article 50) conclusions of December 2018, calling for intensified preparedness work for all scenarios.
This campaign should help to inform businesses that want to continue trading with the UK after 30 March on what they need to do to ensure as smooth a transition as possible. Preparing for the UK becoming a non-EU country is of paramount importance if significant disruption for EU business is to be avoided.
Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, said:“With the risk of a no-deal Brexit increasing as we get closer to March 29, the European Commission and national customs authorities are working hard to be ready to introduce checks and controls on goods flowing between the EU and the UK. This is key to protecting our consumers and our internal market. A lot depends on the ability of businesses trading with the UK to get up to speed with the customs rules that will apply on day one in case of no deal. There is no time to lose and we are here to help with the information campaign.”
Monday’s launch aims to raise awareness amongst the EU’s business community, especially SMEs. A range of material has today been made available to businesses, including a simple 5-step checklist, providing an overview of the steps that need to be taken.
While the overall impact of a “no-deal” scenario cannot be mitigated, this campaign should complement national efforts to inform EU businesses and help to reach out to affected businesses in the EU27 Member States. Preparatory work, supported by the Commission, is also underway in member states to ensure that national customs infrastructure and logistics are ready to deal with a no-deal scenario.
