A new UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS) has been launched to replace the old UK Trader Scheme, which will enable any registered traders to move ‘not at risk’ of entering the EU goods into Northern Ireland. The legislation, which came into force on September 30, is needed following the UK’s exit from the European Union.
The good news is that from October 2024, these ‘not at risk’ items will also be free to move without any unnecessary paperwork, checks or duties, only the existing commercial information will be needed from then onwards.
What are the changes and what do they mean?
There are three main changes under the UKIMS rules compared with the old scheme. The first is that all companies established in the UK will be able to use the scheme, instead of only those companies with a physical premises in Northern Ireland.
The second is that the turnover threshold below which companies involved in processing can move goods has risen from £500,000 up to £2m, making the scheme more widely available. The third is that even if a business is above this £2m threshold, they will still be eligible to move goods under the scheme if they are for use in healthcare, construction, animal feed or not-for-profit sectors.
All traders operating under the old scheme should have received information on how to become authorised for the new scheme. There are some additional pieces of information that need to be supplied for HMRC to complete the enrolment of these traders into the new scheme. You can get more information and guidance on what these are by clicking here.
