Major new campaign to prepare UK for end of the transition period

The government is launching a major new public information campaign, ‘The UK’s new start: let’s get going’. It will clearly set out the actions businesses and individuals need to take to prepare for the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, and ensure they are ready to seize the opportunities that it will bring.

Campaign advertisements will include our “Check, Change, Go” strapline which directs people and businesses to a straightforward checker tool at gov.uk/transition which quickly identifies the necessary next steps they need to take.

The campaign will target UK citizens intending to travel to Europe from 1 January 2021 and all importers to and exporters from the EU, alongside UK nationals living in the EU and EU, EEA or Swiss citizens living in the UK.

The actions people and business owners need to take vary based on their circumstances. They include:

• Making sure you are ready to travel to Europe from 1 January 2021, for example by getting comprehensive travel insurance, ensuring your passport is valid, and checking your roaming policy with your mobile phone provider.
• If you want to travel to Europe with your pet from 1 January 2021, contact your vet at least 4 months before you travel.
• Making sure your business is ready to export or import from/to the EU, for example by getting an EU EORI number or registering with the relevant Customs Authority.

The campaign isn’t being run just to prepare people and businesses for changes at the end of the year. It will also highlight the significant opportunities ahead including for exporters through new free trade agreements, for small businesses through smarter regulation, and for fishermen as we take back control of our coastal waters.

“While we have already made great progress in getting ready for this moment, there are actions that businesses and citizens must take now to ensure we are ready to hit the ground running as a fully independent United Kingdom,” said Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove.

This campaign will run alongside the UK’s continued negotiations with the EU. The UK is leaving the single market and customs union at the end of the year, and so most of the actions businesses and citizens are being asked to take will need to be completed regardless of the outcome of negotiations.

Some areas of UK-wide guidance published will not be applicable for trade between Northern Ireland and the European Union until negotiations have concluded with the EU.

Original source: DFID
Published on 13 July 2020