Well prepared for Brexit

What does Brexit mean for you? View the different Brexit scenario's.

On 29 March 2019 at 23:00, Brexit will be a fact and the United Kingdom (UK) will exit the European Union (EU). As possible main scenarios we distinguish a so-called hard and soft Brexit. With a hard Brexit, the UK leaves the EU without any further trade agreements. With a soft Brexit, the UK also leaves the EU but a transition period will be in place until 1 January 2021 in which both parties continue negotiations for trade agreements. This could for example lead to preferential trade agreements or even to a Customs Union. It is very well possible that only shortly before 29 March it will be clear which scenario will become effective.

Regardless of a hard or soft Brexit, customs declarations will be required for import and export. In addition, you need to consider the following:

• Duties and taxes on import into the UK and EU.
• Customs declarations are required for trade between the UK and EU.
• Transit times may change.
• Rates and additional surcharges could change as a result of customs handling.
• Possible additional inspections for certain goods such as animal and plant products.

In case of a soft Brexit, the above could be impacted by trade agreements.

• Whether it becomes a soft or hard Brexit, the UK will become a country outside of the EU. As a result, a customs declaration will always be necessary for clearance in import and export. DHL Express always handles customs declarations for all your shipments to countries outside of the EU. This means no hassle for you and enables quick clearance at customs. In case of hard Brexit, you do need to reckon with duties and taxes for imports.
• We do recommend that you perform a SWOT-analysis for your company's activities and pricing, taking into account the assumption of a hard Brexit. With this analysis you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to be prepared for market shifts and transformations.
• Have you traded within the EU only and will you continue to trade with the UK after Brexit? When trading outside the EU you will need an EORI number. We recommend that you request an EORI-number adhead of time.

After Brexit, your shipments to the UK will become dutiable. This will naturally also apply when your customers return the shipment. With the Easy Returns service, DHL Express ensures that the returning goods re-enter the EU without payment of duties. Quickly and easily!

Depending on the Brexit scenario and the de minimis threshold value, you could consider shipping 'Duty Taxes Paid (DTP). As the shipper, you will then pay the duties and VAT. Offering an all-in price will prevent surprises for your webshop-customer, optimizing their online purchase and shipping experience.

Gifts

Do you regularly send/receive gifts to/from relatives or friends in the UK? As long as the UK is still part of the EU, these shipments are exempt from duties and taxes provided that the shipment's value does not exceed the threshold of € 45,-. After Brexit (soft or hard) you can still receive gifts from the UK in the EU below this threshold value. DHL Express will take this into account in the customs declaration. However, for sending gifts to the UK after Brexit, it is unclear whether the UK will also apply an exemption and if so, what the threshold value will be. DHL Express will keep you informed of the developments.

Excise goods

Within the EU, the shipping of excise goods (such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and mineral oils) is subject to extensive regulation. For logistics providers and carriers, there is no legal exemption such as is applicable to private individuals. As a result, DHL Express can only transport excise goods within the EU under certain conditions. However, as soon as the UK leaves the EU, all shipments to/from the EU will be dutiable and DHL Express will process the payment of excise duties via the customs declaration.

• DHL Express handles all your customs declarations for shipments to and from the UK
• Also in the UK, DHL Express is market leader with many years of experience, an extensive local network and local expertise.
• DHL Paperless Trade – create your customs invoice online and transmit electronically to DHL Express, allowing for faster customs clearance

DHL Paperless Trade saves time and paperwork by creating and sending your Commercial or Proforma customs invoice via your online shipping application. This eliminates the need to print documents and physically attach them to your shipments. Your invoice will be sent directly to Customs to allow for faster customs clearance. As well as saving you valuable time when preparing your shipments, this free service will help you save on paper and printing costs, while also making a positive contribution to the environment.