Brexit update
HMRC has published updated, detailed guidance for the rules of origin for goods moving between the UK and EU.
It is important to understand the impact of the rules and how they impact a business. Specifically, to ensure advantage is taken of zero tariffs when dealing with cross-border goods. The rules apply to both imports and exports and clearly, incurring unnecessary tariffs is to be avoided if possible.
Background
The UK moved to trading based on a new Free Trade Agreement (FTA) – the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the UK and the EU post-Brexit.
To export tariff-free under the TCA, goods must meet the UK-EU preferential rules of origin. This means that there must be a qualifying level of processing in the country of export to access zero tariffs. This applies to EU origin goods imported and moving through the UK from a Member State to another EU Member State, as well as goods imported from the Rest of World.
These rules are set out in the TCA and determine the origin of goods based on where the products or materials (or inputs) used in their production come from. Their purpose is to ensure that preferential tariffs are only given to goods that originate in the UK or EU and not from third countries.