The government has today (7 October) confirmed that safety and security (S&S) declarations will not be required for EU imports into Britain until next year.
The original plan, under the UK’s Border Target Operating Model, was for the current waiver on these declarations to be lifted 31 October 2024.
The lifting of this waiver has now been postponed until 31 January 2025, meaning S&S declarations (also known as entry summary declarations for imports) won’t be needed for EU goods entering Britain until next year.
What the government is saying
HMRC’s Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC) has written to industry to explain the new timeline, saying that the timing of this year’s UK election had delayed engagement with stakeholders ahead of the implementation date.
“The announcement of the general election in May meant that our planned S&S engagement to prepare stakeholders for implementation on this date was not able to start, due to the restrictions on communication activity during the pre-election period.
“Since the new government was appointed, we have been working closely with ministers to review plans for the introduction of S&S declarations for EU imports, as well as listening to industry about the time it will take to prepare.
“As a result, we are announcing today that S&S declarations for EU imports will now be introduced on 31 January 2025.”
JCCC said that it did “recognise” that some businesses will already be ready for this new requirement and that it “encouraged” such firms to begin submitting S&S declarations ahead of next year’s deadline.
It said it will publish further information about the ramifications of the postponement, as well as advice about how to prepare for the extended deadline, “in the coming weeks”.
What industry is saying
The Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade’s director general, Marco Forgione MCIEx, said that the delay will be “welcomed by some businesses”.
“This is not a surprise as industry has seen little in the way of guidance being issued on the third implementation phase of BTOM. We need to eliminate confusion from this process and make sure businesses in the UK and EU are fully aware of the implications of S&S declarations.
“The overall aim of BTOM is to deliver a world-leading, digital-first border system for the UK, not to create more confusion and extra cost for business. We would urge the government to now step up the engagement programme in the lead up to the new January deadline to ensure a smooth transition to the new checks.”
‘Use the time wisely’
Ilona Kawka, a digital trade and customs specialist at the Chartered Institute, urged businesses to use the additional time to ensure they’re ready for S&S declarations.
“Businesses now have more time to prepare for S&S declarations and should use this time wisely.
“Importers should review the support and guidance that government will be providing in the run up to 31 January, and if they need further support, they should look at our BTOM advisory offer.
“Members of the Chartered Institute can also benefit from our BTOM Compliance Toolkit, which includes a checklist of the information that is needed for S&S declarations, as well as the Chartered Institute’s BTOM Advisory Service.”
Not just S&S declarations
Kawka added that it is important that importers stay abreast of a variety of changes in rules and processes in 2025.
“It’s not just S&S declarations that are coming in, but there is a new timeline for the EU’s deforestation regulation and further changes coming in under BTOM, with sustainability efforts such as CBAM and other projects that aim to further simplify customs processes and allow for further digitalisation of trade.
“It’s key that importers stay abreast of all these changes, whether that’s by signing up to updates from the European Commission or UK government, or by signing up to the Chartered Institute’s Daily Update newsletter.
“If you’re unsure of how any of these changes will affect your business and need help, please do get in touch.”
Kawka leads the Chartered Institute’s new Imports Advisory Practice, which provides objective and unbiased advice so you can manage risks and identify opportunities more efficiently.