UK Announces Reform Plan for Duty-Free System for Temporary Imports
The U.K. this week published a plan to reform its system for streamlining imports of goods that benefit from duty-free entry because they’re being imported temporarily, part of a broader package of tax updates released by the country’s revenue and customs agency. The changes will help businesses that import goods for short-term projects, exhibitions or events, the agency said, and “reflect the government’s commitment to a modern customs regime which supports businesses and responds to global trade and complex supply chains.” It’s also expecting the updates to “improve the customer experience for businesses engaging with customs.”
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Some changes will extend the limits for how long certain goods can usually remain in the U.K. as a temporary import, while another update will increase the time limit to 90 days for “completing customs formalities” after a temporarily imported good is sold. The U.K. is also lifting restrictions on who is eligible to use the “temporary admission procedures,” including by allowing third-party businesses, such as logistics companies, to “hold authorisation to use TA on behalf of importers from all sectors.”
The U.K. said it's expecting to implement most of the changes “by summer 2025” and will “provide further information and confirmation of the dates when changes will take effect as soon as possible.”