How to write (good) customs guidance? In eight easy steps.

How to write (good) customs guidance? In eight easy steps. One of the most common questions policy-makers ask customs practitioners is how to help companies export and import. What are the main challenges that companies face when using customs simplifications, trade agreements and navigating border formalities? The answer is simple – provide good customs guidance. […]

The Irish Sea Customs Border

This chapter provides an overview of how the Irish Sea customs border established under the Protocol functions in practice and what impact this new border has on companies trading between Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland. Given the ‘unique circumstances on the island of Ireland’, the border dividing Ireland and the UK was always going to be unlike any other border.

You Are Not a True Brexit Geek Until You Know About “Extended Cumulation”

You Are Not a True Brexit Geek Until You Know About “Extended Cumulation” With the quantity of trade at stake, such terms should not be the sole preserve of customs specialists. First published as a Prospect blog available (HERE). Those working on Brexit now know more about “rules of origin” than we ever thought we […]

The Unresolved Difficulties of the Northern Ireland Protocol

The Unresolved Difficulties of the Northern Ireland Protocol UKTPO Briefing Paper 41 by Michael Gasiorek and Anna Jerzewska. Available (HERE). Key Points The UK Government’s Command Paper on Northern Ireland reveals some significant differences between the position of the UK and that of the EU with respect to operationalising the Northern Ireland Protocol. These will […]

The Unfinished Business of the Northern Ireland Protocol

The Unfinished Business of the Northern Ireland Protocol While the world battles the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK Government’s decision not to request an extension to the transition period means that the UK and the EU have only eight months until 31st December 2020 to complete the talks on the future trading relationship. If a trade […]

Determining Goods At Risk

Determining Goods At Risk The UK is due to leave the EU on the 31st January 2020. A new stage of the Brexit process is set to begin – the transition period and negotiations of the future relationship with the EU. At the same time, work on the Northern Irish border arrangements is far from […]

The Government’s No-deal Preparations Have Left Businesses In the Dark

The Government’s No-deal PreparationsHave Left Businesses In the Dark With Brexit less than 100 days away, the prospect of no deal is more likely than ever. The UK’s transitional border plans were released in February ahead of the March deadline. Increasingly large sums have been spent on preparation. But many companies aren’t ready. As a […]

Preference Utilisation and Customs Data: The Missing Pieces of the FTA Puzzle

Preference Utilisation and Customs Data: The Missing Pieces of the FTA Puzzle Even though free trade agreements (FTAs) have proliferated for several decades, researchers still don’t fully understand their effects. In the wake of the recent wave of mega-regional trade deals, many governments are now interested in evaluating the effectiveness of their existing commitments and […]

The Customs Side of Customs Unions

The Customs Side of Customs Unions In the context of Brexit, a customs union has always been a half-way option that doesn’t offer the same benefits as single market membership, but also doesn’t allow the UK to lead a truly independent trade policy. It only addresses trade in goods, and doesn’t solve the problem of […]