How LS Law Helped Save the Day / LS Law

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15th January 2021

Cross Border Supply Chain Headache

A Real-Llife Problem Created by Brexit Confusion.

Since my message last week, my plans to check cross border supply chain contracts to ensure BREXIT alignment has taken a back seat, whilst the business faced confusion over the practical aspects of shipping cross border unfolded following new customs procedures.

A client was faced with a lorry in transit from Poland stuck at Holly Head unable to board the ferry to Northern Ireland due to a VAT payment problem and other paperwork issues at the border. An experience that has been well documented in the press this week.

The business had received advice on cross-border BREXIT prep and had addressed what needed to be done in terms of handling customs clearances into and out of the UK to the EU and Northern Ireland. However, once live, the practical aspects of who does what, and what paperwork was needed fell down, and a rally of activity ensued to find a solution quickly. Things were tense with end customers screaming out for the delivery of their goods, and the veil of our legal obligation to supply the product within 21 days of receipt of the order hanging over us. A solution was quickly found, and the lorry moved within 24 hours. Phew!

As the week unfolded, there were a number of other areas where the cross-border experience was far from clear:

Haulier not accepting parcels into Northern Ireland and Europe – Commodity Code and EU EORI number issue.
Confusion on EU EORI numbers and whether shipping DDP was now possible into EU.
Confusion on shipping directly to end customers – best practice to engage a customs intermediary firm.
Who should pick up VAT payments?
Which INCO terms should we now apply for shipping into the EU?
Country of Origin additional costs – products manufactured outside the EU will now attract duty when shipping to the EU.

The above is a classic example of the practical support Life Science Law provides to its business clients. Making myself immediately available to listen to the problem, understanding the issue, and then working with relevant stakeholders and external advisors to find a workable and expedited solution.

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How LS Law Helped Save the Day

Cross Border Supply Chain Headache

A Real-Llife Problem Created by Brexit Confusion.