Make UK, the representative body for UK manufacturers, has launched a partnership with the certification company SGS to offer a ‘simple customs brokerage service’ that will help companies fill in complex customs declarations correctly and clear their goods for import and export. Since the start of the year, all shipments to and from the UK have required a customs declaration, with many companies struggling to ensure that their goods continue to arrive at their destination on time.

Make UK says many businesses have found the forms difficult to complete and have been struggling to find a customs agent to take on the job for them. Some 97% of UK manufacturers who export do so to the EU, and over the past decades when the UK was part of the EU Single Market and Customs Union, filling in customs declarations had been completely unnecessary.

Fergus McReynolds, Make UK’s director of EU Affairs, said: “We are delighted to further embed this partnership with SGS, which has the experience to help our members who need to find an intermediary to cut through the complexity and alleviate the burden of customs paperwork for them. Getting these forms right will make the difference between costly delays and the potential of goods being turned back at the border, and goods flowing smoothly to customers across Europe and beyond.”

Mark Andrews, SGS’s senior sales manager, added: “SGS is already working for thousands of companies — from SMEs to multinationals — to complete their often-complex customs declarations forms to ensure compliance with the new customs rules and procedures.

“Getting this right means companies are able to honour their contracts with EU customers. We are delighted to be able to offer this service to Make UK members and look forward to working with them in the coming weeks and months.

“The SGS brokerage service is powered by a team of highly skilled customs specialists who will ensure declarations and related work is completed before goods arrive at the border crossing.”