UK Intrastat required after Brexit?

HMRC has been issuing conflicting guidance on the obligation for UK traders with the EU to continue submitting monthly goods movements reporting – Intrastat – after Brexit. It had been expected that this EU bureaucratic obligation on thousands of UK businesses would be withdrawn in the event of a no-deal Brexit or after the implementation period of the proposed EU Withdrawal Agreement at the end of 2020.

This adds to the confusion on the obligations for customs declarations on Northern Ireland and Great Britain trade under the draft Withdrawal Agreement.

Intrastat required after Brexit?

Following Brexit, and the UK leaving the EU Customs Unions, customs declarations would be reinstated on goods imported and exported between the UK and EU. This implies EU Intrastat monthly filings would no longer be required.

However, the HMRC has warned businesses will have to continue to produce Intrastat businesses after Brexit. The notice was issued via the uktradeinfo site. Yet in the new Brexit deal Northern Ireland documents, HMRC said that Intrastat would no longer be required.

HMRC has since said that businesses may request to be excused from Intrastat post-Brexit if all of their customs declarations are cleared through the CHIEFS portal.