Non-metal manufacturing and preparing for EU Exit

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, there may be changes that affect your business.

Published 25 February 2019

From:: Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Your business may need to make changes before the UK leaves the EU. Please visit Prepare for EU Exit to find more detailed guidance on policy changes relevant to your sector and to sign up for updates.

Importing and exporting

Preparing for disruption to trade at the UK-EU border

Get a UK Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number so you can continue to import or export goods and apply for authorisations that will make customs processes easier for you.
Decide if you want to hire an import-export agent, or make the declarations yourself.
Contact the organisation that moves your goods (for example, a haulage firm) to find out what information they need in order to make declarations for your goods, or if you will need to make declarations yourself.

Read the guidance on simplified customs procedures for trading with the EU if we leave without a deal.

Further information is provided in HMRC’s advice for businesses trading with the EU.

Preparing for changes to existing trade agreements

Check the way you currently trade with non-EU countries. When the UK leaves the EU the way you access existing favourable arrangements with these countries may change. Changes may be different for each country.

Read the guidance on changes to trading with non-EU countries that have a free trade agreement with the EU.

Your employees

Employing EU workers

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, EU citizens who are resident in the UK before 29 March 2019 (may also apply to new exit date on 31 December 2020) will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to get settled or pre-settled status, which will mean they can continue to live, work and study in the UK.

The scheme will be open to applications from 30 March 2019 and EU workers must apply by 31 December 2020 if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

You can use the EU Settlement Scheme guidance for employers to give further information to your employees.

Applying for skilled-work or unskilled-work visas

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, there will be a new process for EU citizens arriving in the UK before 31 December 2020.

From 1 January 2021, a new skills-based immigration system will launch. For non-EU nationals, EU Exit will not affect the application process for work visas.

Travelling to the EU

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, British passport holders travelling to the EU will need to have 6 months remaining validity on their passport, not including any extra months added to a 10-year passport if it was renewed early.

Read guidance about travelling to the EU with a UK passport if the UK leaves the EU without a deal and check your passport to see if you need to renew earlier than planned.

Regulation and standards

Chemical regulations

After the UK leaves the EU there will be changes to all chemical regulations, including EU REACH (the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulation).

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the EU REACH regulations will be brought into UK law to create UK REACH.

UK-based downstream user or distributor of an EU REACH registered substance

If you currently purchase a chemical substance directly from an EU/EEA supplier, you must make sure any substances you purchase are covered by a valid UK REACH registration by someone within your supply chain in order to remain compliant by registering as an ‘importer’, you must:

open an account on REACH IT and provide initial information on your registration within 180 days of the UK leaving the EU
provide full technical information on your registration within 2 years of the UK leaving the EU.

You might also have to take some actions if you deal with:

UK-based REACH registrants

Maintain your access to EU/EEA market

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you will need to transfer your registrations to an EU/EEA-based organisation or support your EU/EEA-based importers to become registrants.

Read the guidance from the European Chemicals Agency (EHCA).

Maintain access to UK markets

If you are a business based in the UK with an EU REACH registration, your registration will be legally recognised in UK REACH. However, you will need to take action to validate your grandfathered registration.

You will need to:

open an account on REACH IT and provide initial information on your registration within 120 days of the UK leaving the EU
provide full technical information on your registration within 2 years of the UK leaving the EU.

Further information is provided on the HSE website.

Read the guidance on regulating chemicals if the UK leaves the EU without a deal and the chemicals regulation guidance from HSE.

Recognising harmonised goods

After the UK leaves the EU the results of conformity assessment carried out by UK conformity assessment bodies will no longer be recognised in the EU.

This means you must get your products assessed and marked by an EU recognised conformity assessment body if you want to sell them in the EU. You can also arrange for assessments to be transferred to an EU-recognised body before the UK leaves the EU.

You will still be able to use CE marking based on self-declaration of conformity, whether you are selling in the UK or exporting to the EU.

The UK government has also introduced a new UKCA mark, which some businesses will need to use when they place products on the UK market after the UK leaves the EU.

Read the guidance on trading goods regulated under the ‘new approach’ and trading goods under the mutual recognition principle.

Read the guidance on using the UKCA marking if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.