Brexit and shipping chemicals

On the 1st of January new customs and border controls came into force between the UK and the EU after the UK-EU Brexit transition period ended. 

One consequence of this is that chemicals being shipped between the EU and UK now require customs declarations

On the 1st of January new customs and border controls came into force between the UK and the EU after the UK-EU Brexit transition period ended. 

One consequence of this is that chemicals being shipped between the EU and UK now require customs declarations – even if the rate of duty is 0% due to the trade deal. One particularly challenging aspect of this is determining the correct commodity code (HS code) to declare for the chemical(s). The rules for this are complex and based on the chemical structure, requiring detailed knowledge of chemistry, trade legislation and the world customs organisation rules on chemicals.

A second complexity are new rules on country of origin (COO) may also mean that the chemical may not benefit from the 0% import duty, if it has not been made in the UK, or possibly even if it has been made in the EU and then re-exported. The impact and situation relating to COO rules across all industries are still being understood with further advice and guidance being sought from regulators.

Fortunately, Scitegrity’s ExpediChem is here to help you carry out commodity code (HS code) determinations and obtain the relevant duty for your chemicals, even proprietary and novel ones, to at least make this aspect as painless as possible – including the UK HS schedules

With respect to controlled drug legislation within the UK and Europe, this has always largely been legislated for at the national within the EU, with significant variations in what is considered controlled between countries. With Brexit little has changed and chemicals being shipped still need to be checked for compliance at the source country, destination country and EU level laws. EU level strategic export legislation has been copied into UK law, alongside additional substances the UK already controlled above and beyond these.