In this week’s EU Exit Bulletin, we update you on developments in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and bring you the latest guidance updates and publications relevant to EU exit. See also news about the closure of the CHIEF customs system to new importers who must now use the Customs Declarations Service and the procedure to be followed by businesses that brought goods into GB from the EU between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021.
Northern Ireland Protocol Bill update
As mentioned in last week’s EU exit bulletin, the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill is now at Committee Stage the first of which took place earlier this week on Wednesday 13 July. Two further sittings are currently scheduled for 18 and 19 July 2022 before the summer recess begins after 22 July 2022. Committee stage is where detailed examination of the Bill takes place.
On Friday 8 July, a paper setting out a number of amendments to the Bill proposed by some MPs, including some from Northern Ireland, was published. Details of the proposed amendments, which were defeated on Wednesday in Parliament, are contained in this publication.
At present it remains unclear if the Conservative Party leadership race will impact the Bill. However the new Northern Ireland Secretary of State Shailesh Vara said yesterday after the Bill’s first Committee stage hearing that the Government is giving “100% attention” to the Bill, despite the leadership race. Members will be updated on developments in relation to the Bill in Chartered Accountants Tax News.
CHIEF system not available to new importers
From 5 July 2022, the CHIEF system for customs declarations closed to new importers who are no longer able to register to use it and must now register and use the Customs Declarations Service (“CDS”). This is part of the transition from CHIEF to the CDS which closes for import declarations from 30 September 2022.
Imports into GB between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021
Any business which imported goods into Great Britain between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021 is required to contact HMRC if they chose to delay making a declaration for those goods if they have not yet made a supplementary declaration. More information on what to do is set out in updated guidance.
Miscellaneous updated guidance etc.
The latest guidance updates, and publications relevant to EU exit are as follows:-