Make sure your business doesn't get left behind

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO PREPARE FOR NEW RULES COMING INTO FORCE ON JANUARY 1 AFTER THE UK TRANSITION PERIOD ENDS, SO ACT NOW

you run a business and want to continue to trade with the EU next year, you must prepare now.

The UK has left the EU and the transition period ends on December 31, which means there will be new rules for businesses, and now is the time to make sure you’re ready for the changes.

Next year will offer exciting new opportunities for businesses, and putting the finishing touches to your preparations will ensure the transition goes smoothly.

A number of changes will be necessary to make sure the flow of people, data, goods and services between the UK and the EU continue without interuption. This year has been a challenging one for businesses of all sizes. The UK Government recognises this and is offering support as the deadline looms. If you’re not sure where to start, use the simple checker tool at gov.uk/transition. Once you’ve answered a few straightforward questions about your business, you’ll get a personalised summary of the actions you need to take.

That might be preparing for new customs procedures if you export goods to the EU, or making sure you have everything you need in place if you employ people from overseas.

If you travel to the EU for work purposes, you must also check whether you’ll need a visa or work permit – and if you do, now is the time to apply for it. Even if you don’t import or export, there are new rules around holding data from personal contacts in the EU, so you’ll need to check those too.

Everything you need to know about the new rules and what you need to do to prepare ahead of the December 31 deadline is available at gov.uk.

But with just a couple of weeks to go, time is running out, so act as soon as possible.