Cross-border developments and trading corner – 6 July 2026

In this week’s cross-border trading corner, we bring you the latest guidance updates and publications. 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 Government has been informed that the closure of the Calais Border Control Post (BCP) for live animals has come to an end. However, if temperatures rise again, this BCP may be subject to further closure at very short notice which would apply to all consignments requiring live animal controls, including horses and other commodities such as day-old chicks. You can also read an update from HMRC outlining key dates and guidance for the transition to the new Trader Support Service platform, which includes details of the pilot period for the new service that commences later this week from 9 July 2026; details of how to join the pilot also feature. And finally, scheduled routine maintenance to the Plant Health Export Service Portal means that this service will be closed from 6:30pm to 10pm today, Monday 6 July 2026.

Miscellaneous guidance updates and publications

This week’s miscellaneous guidance updates and publications are as follows:

• Customs, VAT and excise UK transition legislation from 1 January 2021,
• Reference document for authorised use: eligible goods and authorised uses,
• Reference documents for The Customs (Reliefs from a Liability to Import Duty and Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020,
• Reference Documents for The Customs (Tariff Quotas) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020,
• Apply to claim a repayment or remission of import duty, or reclaim state aid used on ‘at risk’ goods brought into Northern Ireland,
• Apply for site approval of an Office of Exchange or Extra-Territorial Office of Exchange,
• Apply to become an approved operator if you're a non-UK designated operator running an Extra-Territorial Office of Exchange in Great Britain,
• Appendix 2 C21e: Data Element 1/11: Additional Procedure Codes,
• CDS Declaration Completion Instructions for Imports,
• Known error workarounds for the Customs Declaration Service (CDS),
• Appendix 2 C21i: DE 1/11: Additional Procedure Codes, and
• Report a problem using the Customs Declaration Service.