The Customs Watch EU&UK: Edition 33

Arne Mielken
Sep 22, 2025
2 min read

Edition 33 - Week 39/2025

Period Covered: 15 September 2025 – 22 September 2025

Published: 23 September 2025

Collegues,

In this issue, we have four special reports.

Report I highlights the UK’s ETDA, giving digital trade documents legal parity with paper to speed up and green supply chains.
Report II examines France’s abolition of Regime 42, forcing importers to rethink VAT strategies and EU entry points.
Report III analyses ICS2 Release 3 for road and rail, warning of border congestion, duplicate filings, and market fragmentation.
Report IV assesses the EU Customs reform, promising a central Data Hub, a European Customs Authority, and new trusted trader schemes, though practical benefits remain years away.

In our regular edition here are some highlights of this edition:

Anti-dumping duties (ADD), countervailing duties (CVD), and broader trade defence measures: We highlight recent EU actions on cast fittings, chemicals, cold-rolled steel, and rainbow trout, which protect domestic industries from unfair foreign competition while imposing compliance obligations on importers.
Customs & Customs Declarations: We also provide the latest updates and guidance on UK customs declarations, guarantees, and UK duty schemes, helping businesses navigate CDS requirements, ensure compliance, and prepare for regulatory changes such as ICS2 Release 3 and the Vaping Products Duty.
Classification & GIRs: Insights on applying General Rules of Interpretation (GRIs 1–6) ensure correct tariff classification, prevent misclassification, and protect margins.
EUDR: We report on the EU Deforestation Regulation and its Information System, helping businesses comply with due diligence requirements before the full application date.
Free Trade Agreements & Trade Policy: Updates on EU, UK, and global trade agreements, including tariff changes, preferential access, and major FTA signings, inform strategic planning and market access.
Imports: We provide guidance on safeguard measures, extended investigations, and regulatory changes affecting the import of critical goods like alloying elements.
Rules of Origin: We explain developments in preferential rules, including Pan-Euro-Mediterranean cumulation and diagonal cumulation, to optimise duty reductions under trade agreements.
Value Added Tax (VAT): We cover changes in VAT compliance, including France’s elimination of Limited Fiscal Representation and HMRC’s expanded webinars and support resources.