Brexit update: UK customs enforcement from 1 January 2021

10th December 2020

On 3 December 2020, HM Revenue and Customs provided a long-awaited update on the UK Customs Enforcement process which rights holders and representatives will need to follow once the transition period ends.  A new form for UK Applications for Actions (AFAs) has been launched and is available for use now. Though many rights holders and representatives will be familiar with the content of the UK AFA form, the actual application process has been overhauled to more closely reflect that of the existing UK registered rights applications forms. This facelift brings with it some key procedural changes which rights holders and representatives will need to familiarise themselves with. 1 January 2021 will also trigger changes in the scope of existing EU AFAs, depending on where the original AFA was filed. So as we approach the end of the transition period, it is important for brands to consider their existing AFA protection, to ensure that there is no lapse in protection after 31 December 2020.

Read the article in full here to find out more detail on the main changes to the EU and UK Customs Enforcement processes post-Brexit.