News & Articles
Government News - US Trade Tariffs
An additional request please: if you/ members would like to speak to us about the impact of the US tariffs, please do not hesitate to contact us. Appreciating it is still early days, and where relevant, we would be grateful if you could share any impacts with us going forward. We will update you as best we can.
If not already aware, information on Executive Orders from the White House can be found at this link.: Executive Orders – The White House, and more information from our Government is below:
US Tariffs
Statement by the Trade Secretary on US Tariffs - GOV.UK
UK seeks business views on response to US tariffs - GOV.UK
The press release for request for input and indicative product list
Guidance on How to input on potential UK tariff measures in response to US tariffs - GOV.UK
As the request for input is in a webform format, we would be grateful if you are also able to share your input with our team at this email address: retailandconsumergoods@businessandtrade.gov.uk
Further announcements and Calls for Evidence:
Prime Minister's remarks to UK business leaders in Downing Street: 3 April 2025
Prime Minister’s remarks delivered to UK business leaders in 10 Downing Street this morning. First published.
Employer National Insurance contributions and Employment Allowance changes: impact assessment
HMRC’s initial equality impact assessment of the Employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) and Employment Allowance changes. First published.
These are the outcomes the government wants to see from proposals to reform employment, health and skills support to tackle economic inactivity, support people into good work and fuel economic growth First published.
Scottish Secretary focusses on jobs and investment in USA visit
US investors invited to Edinburgh for a Global Investment Summit to help boost jobs and investment, putting more money back in people’s pockets. First published.
Government ushers in new era for UK infrastructure delivery
Government delivers on manifesto commitment to reduce red tape – merging existing bodies to get a grip on delays to infrastructure delivery. First published.
Major reforms to environmental regulation to boost growth and protect nature
Government reforms will streamline and modernise regulation to unlock growth, deliver 1.5 million homes and do more for nature under the Plan for Change. First published.
Review of SME Banking Undertakings 2002
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is consulting on a review of those provisions within the SME Banking Undertakings 2002 which remain in force. First published. Consultation open till 7 May
OIM response to UK Internal Market Act consultation
The Office for the Internal Market (OIM) has published its response to the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) consultation on the UK Internal Market Act 2020. First published.
Small business access to finance
This call for evidence seeks views, evidence and experiences of applying for and accessing debt finance in the UK for small businesses.
The ‘Small business access to finance’ call for evidence has been updated under the ‘How to respond’ section to request additional information from small businesses responding.
Regulations, Compliance, Procurement, and reporting requirements
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 [TS No.17/2025]
This treaty was presented to Parliament in March 2025. First published.
The Public Procurement (Revocation) Regulations 2025
This statutory instrument (SI) revokes four items of assimilated law in their entirety and partially revokes one item of assimilated law. First published.
This code of conduct sets out the standards and behaviours we expect of suppliers contracted to support the work of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Updated to replace all references to the Public Contract Regulations 2015 with the Procurement Act 2023, which came into force on 24 February 2025. The prompt payment policy has been updated: all public procurement contracts must include a 30-day payment term, which is implied even if not explicitly written into contracts. In the sections on ‘social value’ and ‘human rights, modern slavery and labour standards’, procurement policy note references and links have been updated.
Informal guidance on Builders Merchants Federation’s supply chain initiative
The CMA has issued informal guidance to Builders Merchants Federation on its proposal relating to the industry using a recommended single supply chain assurance services provider. First published.
Notice of authorised amendments (NAA) reference table
The NAA table provides information of changes in regulations and manuals and release date produced by the Military Aviation Authority (MAA).
NAA 25/19 relating to the withdrawal of RA 1150 – Airborne Equipment and Airborne Forces – Issue 4, RA 1345 – The Compendium of Airborne Equipment Release Certificates – Issue 4, RA 1345 – Airborne Equipment Release Certificate Template, RA 1345 – Airborne Equipment Release Certificate Template, RA 2355 – Static Line and Freefall Parachuting – Issue 6 and introducing RA 1700 – Airborne Equipment – Initial Issue, RA 1701 – MOD-Approved Airborne Forces Equipment – Initial Issue, RA 1702 – MOD-Approved Aerial Delivery Equipment – Initial Issue, RA 1703 – Foreign Military Airborne Forces Equipment – Initial Issue, RA 1704 – Non-Combat Parachuting – Initial Issue and Parachuting Training Device Qualification Statement – Version 1 have all been published.
IP
UK-China Intellectual Property Newsletter
At the end of every month we publish a newsletter covering recent intellectual property (IP) developments in China.
China IP Newsletter (February – March 2025) updated
Goods Movement
Check if you can apply for a Northern Ireland tariff rate quota
Find out if you can claim a tariff rate quota to reduce duties, and how to apply for the quota, when moving goods to Northern Ireland.
First published.
Labelling rules for businesses in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and retailers in Northern Ireland, for certain agri-food products moved under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme.
Updated the guidance to: 1) further clarify which dairy products need individual product labels in phase 2. 2) highlight that high-risk foods need individual product labels in phase 3 if they are controlled under Regulation 2019/1793.
Notices made under The Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018
Notices made under The Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 which have the force of law. We have added the duty deferment account authorisation to this notice.
Reference Document for The Customs Tariff (Establishment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020
Find the UK’s most favoured nation tariff rates as referenced in The Customs Tariff (Establishment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020. The Tariff of the United Kingdom, version 1.24, dated 27 March 2025 (entry into force 27 April 2025) added.
Notices made under The Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018
Notices made under The Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 which have the force of law.
Notices made under The Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 have been updated to include additional information on repayment claims made using the Customs Declaration Service, claims made where goods have been imported by post, claims made on defective and non-compliant goods and claims made following a review by the Trade Remedies Authority of import duty amounts charged
Apply for an account to defer duty payments when you import or release goods into Great Britain
Find out how to apply for a duty deferment account so you can delay paying most customs or tax charges when you import goods into Great Britain or release goods from an excise warehouse.
The ‘After you’ve applied’ section has been updated to clarify what happens when your application has been approved.
Navigate the CDS Declaration Instructions for Imports
Navigate the CDS Declaration Instructions for Exports
The index has been updated to reflect the withdrawal of Approved Depositary status, and the addition of Excise guidance.
2025 UK and foreign vessels landings by UK port and UK vessel landings abroad: provisional data
UK and foreign vessels landings by UK port and UK vessel landings abroad: provisional data.
Update 28/02
Check the amount of guarantee you need for transit movements
Why you need a guarantee and how to work out how much guarantee you need to cover your movements. The contact details for making general imports and exports enquiries has been updated.
Trade, investment, and export support
Information about the Social Enterprise Boost Fund and local areas of delivery.
Update to reflect the extension of the fund until March 2026
Sanctions
Who is subject to financial sanctions in the UK?
A guide to the current consolidated list of asset freeze targets, and a list of persons named in relation to financial and investment restrictions under the Russia regulations
HM Treasury Notice, Global Anti-Corruption, 02/04/2025 added.
HMRC updates
Relief for Research and Development (R&D) including claim notifications, additional information and amendments to company tax returns containing an R&D Claim. First published.
OPSS updates
Refining the law to better protect consumers
Through the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, the Government will be able to amend regulations to reflect how products are bought and used today and in the future First published.
Information on OPSS product safety alerts, reports and recalls for unsafe products and resources for consumers, businesses and regulators. List of featured recalls and alerts updated.
HSE updates
The next batch of GB MCL Agency Opinions are now available for download.
A GB MCL Agency Opinion formally proposes the GB mandatory classification and labelling for chemical substances, based on the scientific and technical assessment of the scientific data in line with the GB CLP Regulation, together with an assessment of the policy and socio-economic impacts on the UK.
It sets out whether there is adequate scientific evidence to support a new or revised GB MCL of a substance and what the potential impact of the proposed GB MCL may be.
Download the next batch of Agency Opinions from the GB MCL publication table.
These GB MCL Agency Opinions relate to substances for which HSE (as the GB CLP Agency) published an Agency Technical Report under Article 37 of the GB CLP Regulation in 2024.
At the time of publication, the classification and labelling proposed in these Agency Opinions have not been agreed and/or adopted in GB.
For information on the next steps in the process, please see our webpage on the GB MCL system.
HSE expects to publish the next batch of Agency Opinions in May 2025. CLP ebulletin alerts will be issued when Agency Opinions are published on the HSE website.
If you have any questions or feedback on the GB MCL Agency Opinions, please contact the HSE at: GBCLP.GBMCL@hse.gov.uk
Sustainability, Resources and Waste, including EPR (packaging)
New rules simplifying recycling for workplaces in England come into force
New regulations requiring businesses to separate recycling from waste come into effect First published.
Packaging data: what to collect for extended producer responsibility
A guide to collecting data about your packaging. This is for UK organisations affected by extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging.
This update removed a reference to small producers (‘organisations’) reporting recyclability data. They do not have to report this data. It also corrects a typo – a reference to ‘50ml’ drinks containers has been changed to 150ml
Extended producer responsibility for packaging: who is affected and what to do
How UK organisations that supply or import packaging should comply with extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging.
This update removes information about deadlines that are no longer relevant (given 1 April has passed) and adds links to more recent guidance.
Extended producer responsibility for packaging: local authority payments
Local authorities can find out how and when they’ll start to receive funding to manage packaging waste, including actions chief executives need to take.
Timeline information amended to show when local authorities will receive assessment notices and grant determination letters. Link added to PackUK as the scheme administrator.
Identify and classify waste containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
How to identify and classify waste that contains POPs.
Updated the concentration limit table. Updated the value for ‘Total of tetra-, penta-, hexa-, hepta- and deca- bromodiphenyl ether’. Added a row for ‘Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds’. Added a row for ‘Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts, and PFHxS-related compounds’. Added a row for ‘Pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters’.
How the Environment Agency calculates its charges
The different types of costs included when the Environment Agency calculates proposals for new or revised charges. First published.
Fluorinated greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances charging scheme
The charges you must pay the Environment Agency for fluorinated greenhouse gases (F gas) and ozone-depleting substances activities from 1 April 2025. First published.
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) public registers
Registers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) producers, approved exporters, approved authorised treatment facilities and producer compliance schemes.
Uploaded the latest version of the EEE producer public register, the approved authorised treatment facility public register and the approved exporter public register.