Easements for Vehicle Safety & Security from 1st July 2022

28 Jun 2022

HMRC is introducing four new easements around the submission of safety and security (S&S) information for vehicles taking goods into and out of the UK - in a move that will be welcomed by the logistics sector.

The facilitations were recently confirmed to members of the Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC) and are aimed at improving the flow of goods and vehicles at UK borders.

The JCCC is the main forum for HMRC to discuss trade changes directly with industry.

Easements

The four key S&S facilitations will come into force from 1 July 2022 for both EU and rest-of-world trade, impacting traders, hauliers and carriers.

The changes are:

• Making the inclusion of S&S movement reference numbers (MRNs) optional in the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) for both imports and exports
• Removal of S&S requirements for exported empty cargo units
• Removal of S&S requirements when outbound cargo is moved from one vessel to another on the way to its final destination (inter-port transhipments), when moved under transit under a single transport contract
• Removal of S&S requirements on commercial goods brought in your own baggage or a small vehicle (merchandise in baggage), for both imports and exports

Significant decision

Making the MRN optional is a significant change, reducing the complexity around needing to cancel and create a new GVMS entry if the MRN changes.

Empty units

As part of the package of easements, S&S declarations will no longer be required for lorries carrying empty units exported under a transport contract.