The Department for International Trade has opened a consultation on what WTO import tariffs the UK should set from 01 January 2021 onwards – Have your say!. The rates the UK applies following the consultation will impact imports from countries we do not have preferential relationships with (the assumption being that we will have an Free Trade Agreement with the EU and other current FTA partners, which avoid tariffs on imports from those jurisdictions). The UK will also continue to allow imports at lower tariffs from the world’s poorest countries, as at present. In line with the Northern Ireland protocol, special arrangements will apply to goods entering Northern Ireland.
The government is aware that some CPA members would like to see lower tariffs on the goods they import, and some members might be concerned about the impact of lowering tariffs on the UK market, where there is particularly strong and/or unfair competition from certain other countries. The government wants to hear about all of these interests in the coming weeks – now is the time to make feelings known, ahead of final ministerial decisions being taken. We strongly encourage CPA members to share your views. The CPA will submit a response and welcomes input from our members beforehand; please contact Jeff May. The consultation closes on Thursday 05 March. Find out more.
Please note also that government confirmed plans to introduce full import controls for goods moving into and out of the EU to Great Britain after the transition period ends on 31 December 2020. This means that all goods entering the UK from the EU will be subject to the same checks and controls as goods coming from the rest of the world and that there will be new processes that UK exporters and importers of EU goods will have to comply with, whether we reach a new trade agreement or not.
Source: CPA