This is the first Christmas sales season after the end of the Brexit transition period, and international trade is bound to look a little different, particularly for companies which habitually sell in Europe during this period. We know there’s a lot to think about and a lot to prepare in the run-up to Christmas sales, which is why we are here to help with some of the paperwork issues that may arise.
If your business intends to export goods to Europe this holiday season, there are a few things to bear in mind. The first, of course, is that the United Kingdom no longer enjoys free movement of goods in Europe, since leaving the EU – this does not by any means mean that exporting to the EU is impossible, but it does mean that you are likely to see new barriers that did not exist in previous years. This has led to a decline in exports to the EU this past year, but there is no reason your company has to get put off by all the red tape; as long as you are aware of what you need and what supporting documentation to prepare, you should be good to go.
The second thing to bear in mind is that you will likely have to plan further in advance for holiday and New Year exports due to the added steps and additional costs this year. It is best to have any documentation prepared early to expedite the entire process.
So, what documents may you need?
There are a number of licences, permits, and certificates you should obtain. Depending on what you are transporting, where it is going and how it is getting there, these may include:
- Export licences,
- Certificates-of-compliance,
- Certificates-of-origin – if you are exporting food, drink, or animal products,
- Export health certificates (EHC) – if you are exporting live animals or animal products,
- Pet export certificates – if you are exporting dogs, cats, or ferrets,
- Certificates-of-free-sale (CFS) – especially for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
In the past, apostilles were not required for UK documents going to the EU. While this is still the case in some EU countries, it is no longer a safe assumption, as certain EU countries, or institutions and corporations within them, have begun to ask for UK documents to be formally legalised. Export licences themselves do not require apostilles, but supporting documents, including various certificates, can be legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) when necessary. You may also find that the purchaser asks for certain documents to be apostilled, even if it is not a requirement in their country. Unfortunately, this varies broadly across the EU at present due to the ongoing changes, but if any of your documents need apostilles, you should be informed by the relevant authority or by the purchaser.
A more common requirement for export documents in the EU is notarisation. Notarisation describes a broad range of notarial acts – this includes witnessing signatures on contracts (for instance, sales and purchase agreements), certifying true copies (for instance, of any certificates), and verifying any document which does not have an original signature from a public body. Notary Public is an official, international public office, which is why notarisation is often preferred over solicitor certification in cases of international trade.
It is also not unusual for purchasers to request translations, or for documents to be presented bilingually. In our experience, this is often the case in Spain, where sworn translation is usually necessary. Sworn translation is a translation which is completed by a sworn translator, who is appointed by a governmental body which oversees the accuracy and quality of translations.
We know how important it is to have everything in order in time for the Christmas sales rush and will always do our utmost to make these processes as easy and pain-free as possible for you and your company. We can arrange a notarisation and express apostille service which can be completed the same day, as well as translation services as needed. We are also able to offer our business clients a corporate discount – please get in touch if you would like to discuss this arrangement.