EU exit corner – 7 October 2024

In this week’s EU exit corner, we bring you the latest guidance updates and publications relevant to EU exit. The most recent Trader Support Service bulletin is also available as is the latest Brexit and Beyond newsletter from the Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs Team. The annual joint meeting of the UK and EU’s Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) took place recently after which a joint statement was issued. Chartered Accountants Ireland is a member of the UK DAG. And finally, a joint statement was issued last week after the President of the European Commission and the UK Prime Minister met.

Joint UK/EU statement on enhancing strategic cooperation

The President of the European Commission and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom met last week and agreed to strengthen the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

They agreed on the shared challenges facing the European Union and the United Kingdom including the altered strategic context for the wider continent notably resulting from Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen released a joint statement after the meeting during which it was agreed agreed the UK and European Union would also continue to work closely to address wider global challenges including economic headwinds, geopolitical competition, irregular migration, climate change and energy prices, all of which pose fundamental challenges to the shared values of the United Kingdom and the European Union and provide the strategic driver for stronger cooperation.

They also reaffirmed that the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework, and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement underpin relations between them and underlined their mutual commitment to the full and faithful implementation of those agreements.

Both parties also agreed on the importance of holding regular EU-UK Summits at leader level to oversee the development of this enhanced relationship with the first summit to take place in early 2025 ideally.

Miscellaneous guidance updates and publications

• Trade Specialised Committee on Administrative Co-operation in VAT and Recovery of Taxes and Duties,
• Report a problem using the Customs Declaration Service,
• Designated export place (DEP) codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service,
• Check if a business holds Authorised Economic Operator status,
• Attending an inland border facility,
• Data Element 2/3 Documents and Other Reference Codes (National) of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS),
• Trading and moving goods in and out of Northern Ireland,
• Moving Rest of World sheepmeat, poultry and beef to Northern Ireland, and
• Method of payment (MOP) codes for Data Element 4/8 of the Customs Declaration Service.