Goods into Northern Ireland from the UK, then back again?

I'm showing my ignorance here, but a few times a year, I got to Belfast, from England, with a van load of equipment - we put on shows. I've only just discovered the new rules on moving goods into and out of Northern Ireland from England, and to be honest, I'm totally confused. I started to register as a trader - but it asks for things I know nothing about, or even understand. We're talking about shows - so it's a van load of PA systems, musical instruments, lights and gear like that - we do a few shows, often in Belfast, or other large towns in NI, then get back on the ferry and come home. The Gov.uk website suggests I need to register as a 'trader' to be able to take gear in and out for the shows we put on. Have I misunderstood this - what goes in, comes home again a few days or maybe a month later. I started to register to get an EORI number, but all the questions suggest it relates to export, as in goods not coming back.

Basically, I take a pile of equipment, we do a few shows, and then come home again. Can anyone advise if I really need EORI numbers and stuff like this to play a few shows in Belfast or the surrounding area? On top of this each year I go there for 10 weeks to do pantomime - again, with a van full of stuff like musical instruments and office equipment, then, it gets packed up and I come home. The advice on t he .Gov website seems to not really cover what I do, and the boxes all get 'other' settings and some I don't even understand. Basically - I fill the van up with equipment, go to Belfast on the ferry from Berkenhead, then home again with the same kit. In the past, I roll up at the ferry, get off the other side, then come back again with the same stuff.

I've totally missed this - and not paid any attention to the new system, assuming, totally wrongly, that GB to NI was going to be the same as before - which it clearly isn't. I often don't even have an inventory - just packing the van with everything I might need, and not even recording what it in the boxes. Then, I shovel it back in and come home.

I started to fill in some forms on the .gov website, but the questions started getting more and more like I'm a transport business or exporter. I just go there, do some work, with my own equipment, then bring it all home again. I'm totally confused - I'd really appreciate some advice. I don't want to register for something that doesn't apply, and perhaps even make it worse.

I fill a van up with equipment, take it on the ferry to Belfast, do some shows, and come home with the same kit.

I'm totally unprepared it seems - I assumed, wrongly it appears, that GB to NI movement was unrestricted and clearly I got it very wrong.

 

Have you looked at Carnets?

The London Chamber of Commerce is the body who deal with Carnets. Long time since I’ve had to get one but AFAIK there is no one else. They have a monopoly. No wonder the boss of LCC was in favour of Brexit. Look at all the money they will make on all the paperwork.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-use-your-ata-carnet

Never thought this would apply to NI.

What you need to do is list everything you take and intend to bring back. Its useful to do it on a spreadsheet.

Gaffer tape (rolls) x 3
Fuses 13 amp x 8
Microphone x 2

 

We used to use carnets when taking a theodolite and level into Spain for archaeological work. No one cared when we got off the ferry in France, but we had to get it stamped when crossing into Spain. I can't remember where we got it from in England.

 

That is probably because that is what this governmen told you to believe.

 

Johnson assured Northern Ireland business owners in November 2019 that they would have “unfettered access” to the rest of the UK. “There will be no forms, no checks, no barriers of any kind,” he said. If anyone told them they needed to fill in forms, “tell them to ring up the PM and I will direct them to throw that form in the bin.”

 

One of my regular jobs over there is for pantomime. This has been my first christmas at home for 17 years. Go November and I would have been home today. I have always simply piled my van as full as I could get it with everything I need - so "have you got another electric piano", or "can we print this on A3", or "we need to record a piece for the BBC", or any of the thousands of odd requests, like "you don't have any spare ladies white pants do you by any chance", could be answered with a yes. I trundle out the flight cases used the previous years, and load them, plus loads of technical kit into the van and off I'd go on the ferry. Now, I'll have to plan and itemise.

I'm on a carnet course this week, so probably have more then, but the Northern Irish folk have always been most upset that they are not treated like part of the UK, and this will make it worse.

My friend in Belfast just got told by his seed potato supplier that potatoes into NI are not worth doing any more.

It's not for me the cost of carnets, but the inflexibility of not being able to chuck on a few extra bits of gear at the last minute. The idea that free movement within our own Kingdom has been sacrificed quietly really annoys me - AND - I was one who voted to lead the EU.

I can buy from Germany hassle free, and I can supply to Belgium with no more issues than before - based on last week's business, yet a visit to Belfast is now stupidly complex.

 

HA HA HA HA Serve you right.

And don't think of taking any sandwiches to eat on the way

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ches-confiscated-uk-netherlands-b1785384.html

 

What you were promised and what you've been given are two different things.

I don't think you need an EORI number, as you're not permanently moving goods or anything but some links on this website may help: https://musiciansunion.org.uk/brexit

There's also some more links here: https://www.gov.uk/visit-europe-1-january-2021/business-travel-extra-requirements

Northern Ireland kind of falls between the gaps on the links above. It's kind of in the EU but not in it. So the guidance seems to be complex if you're doing anything other than visiting for a holiday.

 

Got my XI EORI, joined the trade support scheme and signed up for a training session. I'm looking at commodity codes, and got a booking for a show in May, Covid permitting that needs a van load of PA and lights. The idea of having to do a carnet (and having to be that level of organised) is pretty scary! My usual technique is to open up the flight case trunks, and throw stuff I think I might need in the night before. That seems to be impossible now. Great!