E-commerce in a post-Brexit world: the rules

What will change for my shipments?

New rules, new approach. Due to Brexit, trade with the United Kingdom is changing. Border controls are stricter than before, costs are rising and delivery times are increasing. There are changes in the rules for sending or receiving packages from other countries, both inside and outside the EU.

What will change for my British shipments?

As a sender or recipient of business shipments, you will probably have had to make some changes to your operations already. There will be more of these in the coming years, as the new Brexit rules are being phased in as much as possible. Which rules are changing? For e-commerce with the UK, these include:

• Requesting a British customs identification number: the EORI number
• Completing and submitting the required customs documents
• Requesting a British VAT number for shipments to consumers and recipients without a British VAT number

What will change for my European shipments?

Brexit also means that some rules will also change within the EU. For example, VAT must now be arranged with the country where your shipment will arrive. The thresholds will also change, which will also affect tax exemptions. In brief:

• VAT is paid in the destination country
• You can organise all foreign VAT at once every month with the Union Scheme (Unieregeling)
• The same threshold of €10,000 applies to all EU countries

What are the consequences for my e-commerce company?

Whether or not you trade with the UK, or with countries in the EU or globally, you will need to deal with more rules. This is particularly the case with the UK. As an e-commerce company, you will face the following consequences:

• More paperwork
• Longer shipping times
• Paying customs surcharges