Last week the Government launched a four-week public consultation on the future UK ‘Most Favoured Nation’ tariff schedule - the “UK Global Tariff” (UKGT). This consultation will close on 5 March 2020.
The new UK Global Tariff will apply to goods imported into the UK from 1 January 2021 unless an exception such as a preferential arrangement or tariff suspension applies. In particular, this tariff will not apply to goods coming from developing countries that benefit under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences, or to goods originating from countries with which the UK has negotiated a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Information gathered from this consultation will be used by the Government to develop the future arrangements. The consultation offers the opportunity to provide:
· views on changes to the Common External Tariff to create a bespoke UK tariff regime;
· specific feedback on individual products or commodity codes of importance, including on the corresponding tariff rate; and
· information on interactions with MFN tariffs and the importance of tariffs to our sectors.
BAG Members, please respond directly to DIT here as DIT have a preference for respondents to reply to their online portal. The online response links enables you to select specific tariff codes to refer to. On the tariff lines there is a limitation of 5 codes you can input on the consultation response link, but opportunity to provide more details in the free text. DIT recommend using the lines for the high level 4 code tariffs and providing detail and longer codes in the free text.
ADS are also currently putting together an overall response.
