The UK Government has announced a further £16 million funding package to help businesses prepare to exit the European Union on 31 October 2019.
The additional support will be used to train “thousands of customs experts” within businesses to ensure the continuity of EU trade.
According to the report, businesses will be given the opportunity to train in-house customs agents to make customs declarations and invest in IT systems.
The announcement builds on an £8 million investment made earlier this year, which saw more than 3,000 customs agents trained to cope with the additional administrative demands of Brexit.
To help businesses, the Government has launched a new online trading package and a new UK Customs Academy to ensure businesses have the support they need to get ready for Brexit.
Eligible businesses can apply for grants to cover training costs for staff, as well as funding for IT improvements.
Commenting on the announcement, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Jesse Norman MP said: “Brexit takes place on 31 October and we urge all businesses to make the necessary preparations to be fully ready. The government has doubled the support available, so that thousands more customs experts are on hand to help businesses on and after Brexit day.”
The move comes shortly after the Government revealed that it would automatically allocate every eligible business an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number.
An EORI number will allow businesses to continue trading with the EU should the UK leave without a deal.
For more support and advice preparing your business for Brexit, please get in touch with our expert team.