João Sebastião
Director of International Trade for Portugal
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Welcome to the second edition of the DIT Portugal Newsflash!
The UK will be leaving the EU customs union and single market on 31 December 2020, regardless of the outcome of the UK’s current negotiations with the EU. As a result, there will be several changes to cross-border trading arrangements, for which EU businesses need to prepare.
The British Embassy in Lisbon is working closely with local partners, companies and business associations to help them prepare for these changes, so they can continue trading smoothly with the UK beyond the end of the Transition Period. With this in mind, on the 27th November we will be hosting a webinar on the Border formalities between the UK and the EU at the end of the Transition Period and are pleased to invite businesses of all sizes, industry bodies and government officials in Portugal to join. To attend please register here.
This month you will read important updates on Business Travel rules and guidance on VAT for EU traders. Finally, you’ll get to hear about some activities delivered by our team that you could join.
For further information on actions EU businesses need to take can be found on www.gov.uk/eubusiness or please do get in touch with requests or suggestions at [email protected]
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Preparing for end of the Transition Period
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Changes to VAT treatment of overseas goods sold to customers
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On 20th July 2020, HM Revenue & Customs published a technical note on changes to VAT treatment of overseas goods sold to customers from the end of the Transition Period. This expands on the sections covering the VAT treatment of consignments not exceeding £135 in the GB Border Operating Model.
This means that if you are an EU based business and you are selling goods not exceeding the value of £135 to consumers in the UK, whether this is via an Online Marketplace or directly, you will need to be aware of the new rules which apply from the 1st January 2021. You can find further information in the link below.
If you have any further questions, please click on 'send your enquiry' for our experts to help.
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Business Travel rules to the UK from 1 January 2021
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From 1 January 2021, freedom of movement to the UK will end. However, we recognise how important it is for businesses to continue to export and provide services in person and move expertise to where it is needed.
While the UK-EU FTA is still subject to further negotiations, EU nationals under UK domestic rules will be able to travel to the UK for short-stays of up to 6 months without a visa, when undertaking specific activities.
A specific list of visa-free permitted activities for short-stay EU/EFTA nationals can be found on gov.uk.
For stays longer than 6 months, or when undertaking other activities, a visa will be required.
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Lisbon Web Summit - #UKatWebSummit
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Between 2 and 4 December, the UK will be at the 2020 virtual edition of the Web Summit. Our presence will include a roundtable on investment, a masterclass on sustainability and many conversations with British speakers.
To complement our presence on the Web Summit platform, we will also have many initiatives in the area of creativity, the UK business card.
In the first week of December, the United Kingdom, the main investment destination in Europe, will be present at the biggest technology event in the world, with a lot of information about the UK 'offer' in the areas of innovation, technology, creativity and leadership in the combating climate change, and with a vast and diversified program of activities.
2-4 December 2020
#UKatWebSummit
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Innovation in Health Virtual Mission: Tech for Health and Healthy Ageing Solutions
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On 11 November DIT Portugal hosted the “Innovation in Health Day”, a virtual event to showcase UK’s capability in Technology applied to Healthcare and Healthy Ageing and promote the UK as an investment destination.
Two dedicated sessions took place with presentations from specialists and pitches from UK companies open to partnership opportunities for the Portuguese market.
If you would like to access the event recording and exhibition and/or meet the UK health tech companies, please contact [email protected].
Access the programme for the event here:
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Keep Business Moving Webinar – 27th November, 10.00 am
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The British Embassy in Lisbon and the British-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce invite businesses of all sizes, industry bodies and government officials in Portugal to join a webinar on the Border formalities between the UK and the EU at the end of the Transition Period.
The UK is leaving the EU single market and customs union, and the end of the transition period will affect citizens, businesses, as well as travel to and from the EU. Join us and find out what you need to know to keep your business moving after 1 January 2021.
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The British Embassy in Lisbon maintains and develops relations between the UK and Portugal.
To know more please visit the website by clicking on the logo or here.
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