The UK will leave the EU on 29 March 2019. Leaving the EU means businesses may need to prepare for change.

Leaving the EU with a deal remains the government’s top priority. However, a responsible government must plan for every eventuality, including a no deal scenario. Without a deal, businesses may need to take action before 29 March 2019, and we recommend that businesses ensure they are prepared.

The government has created an online tool for businesses to find the latest information on EU Exit, how they will be affected, and the actions they can take to prepare. Businesses can access the tool here and sign up to receive customised alerts. New information will be published over the coming weeks so businesses should continue to check in on a regular basis.

Businesses are also advised to access the tool here www.gov.uk/euexitbusiness and sign up to receive customised alerts.

Several government departments have recently published information on the steps that businesses may need to take to prepare for our exit from the EU, please see updates below:

• • The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has recently published ‘landing pages’ for several key business sectors. These pages contain information, guidance, and tools to support businesses to prepare for EU Exit. Please follow these links for landing pages on: food and drink, farming, chemicals, fisheries, and vets. Defra will continue to provide updates and information on other topics that may affect businesses should we leave the EU without a deal.
  • Further helpful information and tools are available from the Department for International Trade on: trade agreements with non-EU countries which will be affected when we leave the EU, and from the Information Commissioner’s Office on: data management.
  • The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published guidance for businesses. For more information visit www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/prepare-your-business-for-the-uk-leaving-the-eu
  • The Border Delivery Group and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have published a set of communications resources on GOV.UK, to accompany the Partnership Pack. These include a range of leaflets and videos that set out the key actions that businesses need to take to continue to trade with the EU if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. There are also step-by-step guides and videos on importing and exporting. There is now a toolkit available to help you use these communications products to engage with local businesses, which you can access here. This toolkit and the GOV.UK page will be updated regularly as new products become available. Please use this toolkit and the associated communications products to engage with local businesses and encourage them to prepare for changes at the border if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
  • The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has now published eighteen sector primers for businesses setting out first steps on how they can prepare for EU Exit. Please follow the links for: automotive, aerospace, construction, oil and gas production, retail, space, professional and business services, chemicals, electronics, machinery and parts, electricity sector, gas markets, consumer goods,  nuclear, research & innovation, life sciences, metal manufacturing, non-metal manufacturing, parcel delivery services. BEIS in partnership with the Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has also published guidance for UK businesses on EU service provision if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, with guides specific to various EU countries, which can be accessed here. BEIS has also published guidance for businesses on the regulatory requirements for placing goods on the UK and EU markets after the UK leaves the EU here.