UK Automatically Assigning EORI Numbers to Expedite Brexit Preparations
United Kingdom customs authorities on Aug. 21 announced plans to accelerate Brexit preparations for U.K. traders by automatically registering more than 88,000 value-added tax registered companies for Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) numbers over the next weeks “in order to keep trading with customers and suppliers in the EU after the UK has left.”
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While 72,000 companies have already registered for a U.K. EORI, “ministers are taking decisive action to speed up the rollout of the scheme to help ensure the smooth transit of goods,” HM Revenue & Customs said in its press release. Businesses that don’t have a U.K. EORI number after Brexit will be unable to continue to ship to and from EU member states.
“Letters informing companies of their automatically allocated EORI numbers will start arriving today as the Government steps up efforts to ensure the U.K. is ready for Brexit,” HMRC said. An infusion of government funds to assist with the transition, should there be a no-deal exit, includes an additional £344 million for customs and border operations to improve readiness by “hiring more border officers, doubling the support available for customs agents, and improving transport infrastructure around ports.”