The Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT), serving as a key interlocutor between government and industry, continually updates its members and the wider trade community about major developments affecting UK trade.

These include updates from the government about upcoming civil service strikes, downtime on the Automatic Licence Verification System (ALVS) and a recent visit to a key port in Suffolk by the environment minister.

The first two were communicated by HMRC to the Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC), of which IOE&IT is a member.

Impact of 1 February strikes at UK ports
There is a scheduled strike of up to 100,000 civil service members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union on Wednesday 1 February. Although HMRC staff will not be participating, the industrial action will include UK-based Home Office staff, including some from Border Force.

JCCC has advised that the strikes will impact the movement of goods through UK ports and airports on Wednesday, as well as goods travelling to the UK from UK border controls in Calais, Dunkirk and Coquilles in France. The disruption could last into the morning of Thursday 2 February.

JCCC has advised traders to move goods outside of this period, if possible, but if a postponement is not possible, JCCC has said that traders should be braced for possible delays at ports and Inland Border Facilities (IBF).

For those carrying merchandise in baggage under £1500/1000kg, which does not contained licensed items, the simplest way to declare these goods is through a simplified online declaration. More guidance is available here.

source : export.org.uk/For more details