Whisky: Exports

(asked on 5th July 2018) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the notice period that the scotch whisky industry would require to make changes to company software systems and internal procedures should movements of their products to the EU need to be treated as direct exports following the end of any Brexit implementation period.


Answered by
Lord Bates Portrait
Lord Bates
This question was answered on 19th July 2018

During the implementation period, the UK will no longer be a Member State of the European Union, but market access will continue on current terms. To give businesses and citizens certainty, common rules will remain in place until the end of the period meaning businesses will be able to trade on the same terms as now up until the end of 2020.

The UK’s future relationship with the EU is subject to negotiations. The Government has published a White Paper that set out in detail the UK’s position on the future relationship. The Government hopes to see negotiations accelerate and intensify and remains confident of reaching agreement on the Withdrawal Agreement and future customs framework.

The Government proposes a common approach to the relevant excise processes and procedures that apply to cross border trade in goods. This would, for example, enable businesses that move excise goods, such as alcohol products, tobacco products and oils, within the EU to do so much as they do now.

In the meantime, the Government is engaging with businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises, in every sector and region of the UK economy to assess the effect of EU Exit on them. This includes specific engagement in relation to scotch whisky and we continue to engage closely with the Scotch Whisky Association.

The Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Bill provides flexibility to allow HMRC to continue to use IT systems, including the Excise Movement and Control System for internal movements of excise goods in duty suspension, subject to the outcome of negotiations.

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