Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the Answer of 20 September 2021 to Question 49030 on UK Trade with EU, what proportion of importers of non-controlled goods from the EU have chosen to delay the submission of their customs declarations since 1 January 2021 up to the latest available date.

Ordinarily only traders or their agents who are authorised to use the simplified customs declaration process (SCDP), which allows them to make the declaration in their own records, can delay making a customs declaration to HMRC (and then only until the fourth working day of the following month). However, until 31 December 2021 most importers of non-controlled goods from the EU can choose to delay the submission of their customs declarations to HMRC for up to 175 days after import as part of the staged approach to customs controls (SCC).

HMRC’s understanding to date is that overall use of delayed declarations (whether under SCDP or as part of SCC) in 2021 so far has been high.

HMRC is receiving broadly the volume of declarations expected, and where declarations are being delayed, they are typically being submitted well within the 175-day window permitted by staged customs controls.

HMRC continues to monitor declarations closely, as well as supporting traders to prepare for the ending of staged customs controls delayed declarations on 1 January.