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

Today 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 run across the full range of communication channels, including TV advertising and radio, out of home, digital, print, and direct channels such as text messages and Webinars. The campaign will also see the launch of a field force team which will give one-to-one support in person or over the phone to businesses and their supply chains to minimise disruption to the movement of goods.

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.

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. Initial guidance specific to Northern Ireland will be published in the coming weeks and will continue to be issued throughout the transition period. The government is already working closely with NI businesses, traders, agents, carriers and ports to prepare for the end of the transition period.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove said:

At the end of this year we are leaving the single market and Customs Union regardless of the type of agreement we reach with the EU. This will bring changes and significant opportunities for which we all need to prepare.

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.

This is a new start for everyone in the UK – British and European citizens alike – so let’s get going.

Details of the key actions that businesses and individuals need to take before the end of the transition period can be found on gov.uk/transition.