Streamlining Your Shipping Operations in 2023

Are you an XI EORI number holder?   HMRC has released an announcement related to changes to come that will affect businesses holding XI EORI number’s. UK Businesses moving goods into or out of Northern Ireland need an Economic Operator’s Registration Identification (EORI) number starting with XI (the “XI EORI”). In order to qualify for an XI EORI, businesses need a permanent business establishment in Northern Ireland. If a business does not have a permanent business establishment in Northern Ireland, they can still move goods into Northern Ireland or the EU as long as they are using an ‘indirect representative’ who meets the criteria. Businesses using TSS (trader support service) can continue to do so. A permanent business establishment definition : “a fixed place of business, where both the necessary human and technical resources are permanently present and through which a person’s customs-related operations are wholly or partly carried out”. Businesses that do not have a permanent business establishment in Northern Ireland may still be able to have an XI EORI to undertake limited customs activities within both Northern Ireland and the EU. Background of the XI EORI number Prior to the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol on January 1st 2021, as a factor of Brexit, aiming to minimise disruption, HMRC auto-allocated XI EORI numbers to UK businesses that they identified as operating in Northern Ireland. However, at that time HMRC were not able to ascertain whether those businesses with a GB address also had a permanent business establishment in Northern Ireland. Initially, any business registering for an XI EORI number with HMRC in early 2021, were not required to provide any information giving detail of whether they were a permanent business establishment in Northern Ireland, nor to provide a reason their business might need an XI EORI. Later amended in September 2021, all applications now require evidence of establishment or an allowable reason to hold an XI EORI number. What are HMRC now doing? HMRC are reviewing all businesses with an XI EORI number, and a GB address, to identify whether they have a permanent business establishment in Northern Ireland. If businesses do not have an establishment in Northern Ireland, HMRC will need to know if the business will still need their XI EORI number for specific activities. The scope of the validation and removal exercise relates to those XI EORIs that were issued between 1 January and 13 September 2021 and should bring those business in line with any who receive and XI EORI after September 2021. What are HMRC asking businesses to do? If a business has a permanent business establishment in Northern Ireland, HMRC will ask them to provide evidence of the business establishment, which they will be able to upload via an online form on Gov.uk. If a business does not have a permanent business establishment in Northern Ireland and does not have a need for their XI EORI they do not need to contact HMRC. HMRC will remove their XI EORI after 6 weeks from the date of the letter they are sent. Where a business does not have a permanent business establishment (PBE) in Northern Ireland, you will be asked to provide a reason why you need to keep their XI EORI. If HMRC do not hear from businesses within the timeframe they are given, HMRC will assume that they do not have a PBE in Northern Ireland and that they no longer require their XI EORI number. Timeline HMRC announced that they will be writing to businesses from Thursday 13 to Wednesday 26th April. Engagement with businesses is expected to continue into May, as HMRC processes the responses they receive. For more information about EORI numbers, their applicability and when you require once, please visit www.gov.uk/eori.    

March 9, 2023 While there’s no denying the environmental impact of freight transport, there are many innovations and initiatives that are helping to reduce its carbon footprint. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of these advances and discuss how they’re helping to make the industry more sustainable. The UK freight industry is a vital part of the country’s economy, providing essential services for businesses and consumers alike. It is also one of the most competitive and dynamic sectors, with new technologies and innovations helping to drive efficiency and sustainability. This blog will explore some of the key issues facing the industry today, from environmental challenges to government initiatives and innovative solutions. It will also look at some of the benefits of investing in greener technologies, data innovations, and smart logistics systems. By understanding these issues, companies can gain a competitive edge by adopting the latest technology and sustainable practices. Overview of the UK Freight Sector The UK Logistics sector is a vital part of the country’s non-financial business economy, contributing 10% to its overall GDP. Freight transport is a private sector activity that has wider economic, social and environmental impacts. Despite the pressures brought on by globalisation and technological advances, the UK freight and logistics industry is poised to grow at a CAGR of 2.5% by 2027. The Government has launched a new fund to help small to medium-sized businesses develop greener and more efficient solutions for freight transport, as well as investing in smarter logistics systems. As such, it is important for businesses to be aware of the current and developing strategic plans for the UK transport sector in order to benefit from these initiatives and create sustainable solutions for freight transport in the UK. Environmental Challenges Facing the Industry The freight industry in the UK faces numerous environmental challenges, including emissions from road freight, which account for 77% of overall emissions from transport in the UK. The sector is also responsible for a third of total emissions from transport. To address these issues, the government has implemented various initiatives to support SMEs in developing sustainable solutions. This includes investing in green financing solutions, efficient and sustainable innovation, design, procurement and maintenance techniques. Additionally, innovative technologies are being scaled up and rolled out across the industry to improve journey times and reduce emissions. Data innovations can also be used to tackle environmental issues such as pollution and congestion by providing insights into how operations can be optimized for sustainability. Investing in smart logistics systems can further enhance efficiency and help reduce environmental impacts. Government Initiatives to Support SMEs The UK Government is making a significant investment in support of SMEs to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the freight industry. The freight innovation fund (FIF) provides £7 million in financial assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises to develop innovative approaches for reducing emissions and improving efficiency. This funding allows businesses to access the resources needed to explore new technologies, data solutions, and smart logistics systems for tackling environmental issues. It also provides a platform for businesses to collaborate and share their ideas, helping to create a more sustainable freight industry in the UK. Sustainable Solutions for Freight The £7 million fund launched to ‘green up’ the freight delivery process demonstrates the government’s commitment to making the UK freight industry more sustainable. The fund will be used to invest in innovative tech such as rail and smart logistics systems, with an aim to decarbonise freight and improve efficiency. Logistics UK supports projects like the Freight Portal, developed by the Energy Savings Trust, which has the potential to reduce emissions from freight transport. The investment in greener technologies will also create new jobs and help SMEs in the industry to become more competitive and efficient.  Furthermore, data innovations such as telematics can be used to gain insights into transport patterns and identify areas for improvement that can reduce energy use and emissions. Investing in sustainable solutions for freight will not only benefit the environment but also create a more efficient, cost-effective supply chain. The Benefits of Investing in Greener Technologies Investing in greener technologies is essential for the UK freight industry to remain competitive and reduce its environmental impact. Government initiatives have been launched to support small to medium-sized businesses to develop more efficient solutions for freight. Freightliner has demonstrated their commitment by investing in increasing the sustainability of rail, including by co-firing fuels. Such investments are necessary for the UK’s drive for decarbonisation, and can lead to additional benefits, such as high knowledge spillovers from green innovation and enhanced technology diffusion. Investing in greener technologies also has the potential to identify green innovation priorities across the UK economy, with a particular focus on hard-to-reach sectors, such as road freight, buildings, and heavy industry. By investing in smart logistics systems, innovative technologies, and data innovations, businesses within the freight industry will be able to reduce their environmental impact while simultaneously increasing efficiency.  Other solutions include new approaches for sharing data between different modes of freight transport, as well as investing in greener technologies such as renewable energy sources. Such initiatives are helping to improve the sustainability of the UK freight sector, while also increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Data Innovations for Tackling Environmental Issues Data innovations are becoming increasingly important in the freight industry. The government has launched a new fund to help small to medium-sized businesses to develop greener and more efficient solutions for freight. Digital Catapult is working with the manufacturing and creative industries to reduce their negative environmental impacts and reach net zero, while innovative partnerships are tackling environmental challenges in the water sector. Data innovations can help support these initiatives by providing more accurate information about environmental issues, such as climate change, depletion of natural resources, pollution of air, water and soils. They can also help businesses identify opportunities for improvement in their operations, such as developing smarter logistics systems or investing in technologies that promote sustainability. By harnessing the power of data, freight companies can ensure Read More