Brexit Series: Shipping parcels to the EU after the Brexit transition?

Frequent visits to the Post Office is a common activity among UK entrepreneurs as many small businesses send their products to customers.

From 1 January 2021, if you plan to send goods to the European Union that are worth under £872 or less via the post, you'll need to fill in a short customs declaration form and attach it to the parcel. Good news is that you do not need an EORI number.

If the goods are valued at £873 or more, you will need to make a full customs declaration and will need a UK EORI number.

EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification and is a unique code used to track and register customs information in the EU.

You can apply for an EORI number via the government website here. It usually takes a week from application to get your EORI number.

Sending goods using a courier and other parcel operators?

If you use a courier or another parcel operator, they may handle the process for you. If so, you do not need a UK EORI number.

Check with your parcel operator as soon as you can so you can be ready for exporting from 1 January 2021.

If they don't manage the process, you will need submit a full customs declaration (if appropriate) and you do need a UK EORI number.

Taking goods outside the UK yourself?

If you carry goods to the EU yourself in a suitcase or car, they must be declared before you leave the UK. To make the declaration, you need a UK EORI number.

For goods worth £873 or more or goods classed as excise or restricted, such as alcohol or tobacco, you'll need to make a full customs declaration.

For all other goods you can make a declaration in person to a border force official at the port or make a declaration on the government's website up to five working days before departing by searching 'merchandise in baggage' from 1 January 2021.

full customs declarations

Full customs declarations are complicated so if you are required to submit them from 1 January 2021 when sending goods to the EU, the government advises that you should use a specialist customs intermediary or agent. Here is a list of custom intermediaries here.

If you decide to submit customs declarations yourself or you would like to better understand the process, you can apply for a £1,000 grant to cover the cost of training. There are also bigger grants available to cover recruitment, training and IT to help customs intermediaries increase their capacity to complete customs declarations.

More guidance on the grants is available here and you can apply for funding here.

Sending goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland

If you move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, new processes under the Northern Ireland Protocol will apply. The government's Trader Support Service has been set up to provide free advice and training. Register here.