News & Articles
GOVERNMENT UPDATES 12.02.25
Please see below recent updates that may be pertinent for your business/members and supply chains.
Announcements and Calls for Evidence:
Devolution revolution: six areas to elect Mayors for first time
Deputy Prime Minister brings six areas onto the Devolution Priority Programme with Mayors to be elected by May 2026 plus four new devolved institutions created.
First published.
Interministerial Group for Business and Industry: communiqués
Notes of the meetings held by the Interministerial Group for Business and Industry.
Interministerial Group for Business and Industry: communiqué 21 January 2025 added.
Interministerial Group for Business and Industry: terms of reference (2025)
The aim of this Interministerial Group is to consider and consult on issues relating to business and industry policy.
First published.
Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)
Find out if you qualify for ESOS and how to comply.
Added information on phase 4 changes, and updated details on how to submit an action plan via the Manage your ESOS reporting system. Action plans can still be submitted until 5 March 2025.
Goods Movement
Apply for approval to export animals and animal products to Great Britain
Guidance for competent authorities applying to Defra for market access to export animals and animal products to Great Britain, or to amend existing trading conditions.
First published.
Notices made under The Customs (Export) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
Notices made under The Customs (Export) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 which have force of law.
The force of law text for Regulation 40(7) of The Customs (Export) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 has been updated.
Apply to import goods temporarily to the UK
Apply for Temporary Admission to import goods to the UK, or move goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, and use them temporarily before re-exporting them.
Correction made, guidance updated to show goods placed under Temporary Admission must be re-exported within a set time period (this is usually up to a maximum of 24 months depending on the goods).
Trade, investment, and export support
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Northern Ireland Partnership Group minutes
On this page you can find Northern Ireland Partnership Group minutes relating to the design and delivery of the fund.
Added Northern Ireland Partnership Group meeting notes 18 November 2024.
Apply for an export certificate
Apply for an export certificate to establish products in overseas markets.
Information added to the ‘Certificates of Free Sale’ section to indicate which countries do not need a CFS for cosmetic products following the UK acceding to Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Notice on the impact of the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on Certificates of Free Sale (CFS) for cosmetic products.
First published.
Government opens record industry conference to kickstart SME exports
UK Export Finance welcomes industry to its largest ever national conference, promoting SME growth.
First published.
Time to act on UK’s expiring trade remedy measures
Some UK anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures will expire in 2026. Affected UK producers can apply for an expiry review if they want the measures to be kept.
First published.
Tariffs on non-folding e-bikes from China revoked
Government accepts TRA recommendation to revoke anti-dumping and countervailing measures on imports of Chinese non-folding e-bikes to the UK.
First published.
Trade remedies notices: countervailing duty on electric bicycles from China
Trade remedies notices published by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade relating to the countervailing duty on electric bicycles from China.
‘Trade remedies notice 2025/4: countervailing duty on electric bicycles (e-bikes) originating from China’ added to the page.
How you import from and export to Switzerland.
Recognition of professional qualifications section updated to confirm domestic procedures to implement the UK Switzerland RPQ Agreement have been completed.
Find out about UKEF credit insurance
What it covers, eligibility, how to get a quote and how to apply.
Updated information on countries deemed to me “marketable risks.”
e-Commerce/Digital
Check if you need to carry out digital platform reporting
Check if you need to tell HMRC if you’re in the UK and run a digital platform that lets users sell goods or services.
Information that needs to be reported about all sellers has been added
Sanctions
The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 ensure sanctions relating to Russia are implemented effectively after the UK leaves the EU.
HM Treasury Notice, Russia, 10/02/2025 added.
Notice to Importers 2953: Russia import sanctions
Import prohibitions in force under the Russia Sanctions Regulations 2019, as amended. It should be read alongside the statutory guidance.
‘Import licences’ section of ‘NTI 2953: Russia import sanctions’ updated to advise when a licence cannot be granted.
UK financial sanctions are in place for persons, entities or bodies involved in certain cyber activity. This page contains the current list of designated targets.
HM Treasury Notice, Cyber, 11/02/2025
HMRC updates
Transit newsletters – HMRC updates
Check for the latest updates about moving goods using transit and the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS).
Newsletter ‘February 2025 – Border Force TAD printing issues’ added.
Rates and allowances: Inheritance Tax thresholds and interest rates
Find the Inheritance Tax thresholds (or ‘nil rate bands’) from 1914, and see changes to Inheritance Tax interest rates from October 1988.
The ‘Inheritance Tax interest rates from October 1988’ table has been updated with the new interest rate of 7% for late payments and the interest rate of 3.5% on repayments from 25 February 2025.
Skills, employment, and training
A 2025 skills and recruitment barometer of feedback from small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across England.
First published.
ESFA funding claims and reconciliation
Information for education and skills training providers on the funding claims and reconciliation process.
We have updated the funding claims user guide for mid-year funding claims. The mid-year funding claim window will open at 9am on Monday 10 February 2025.Please submit your mid-year funding claim by 5pm on Thursday 13 February 2025.
Sustainability, Resources and Waste, including EPR (packaging)
Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) producer data requirements: RPS 330
Environment Agency regulatory position on collecting and reporting nation of sale and self-managed organisational waste data for 2024 and 2025.
First published.
The UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) international group will be used to communicate UK CBAM policy updates and receive feedback on specific UK CBAM policy design from international stakeholders.
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.
Added the latest version of the EEE producer public register.
Shredding waste upholstered domestic seating containing POPs: RPS 264
Environment Agency enforcement position on shredding waste upholstered domestic seating (WUDS) containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
This RPS has been updated to incorporate the requirements of RPS 297 monitoring fugitive emissions from shredding waste which has been withdrawn. It allows you to shred waste upholstered domestic seating at permitted sites whilst you monitor emissions from the shredding of WUDS.