With 10 days to go until the UK leaves the EU, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are urging companies to look at their Brexit preparations ahead of the hard December 31 deadline.
From January 1, new procedures will come into place for any company who is trading in or through the UK (excluding Northern Ireland).
Companies who have not yet put provisions in place for this face the very real possibility of their goods being delayed at ports, Enterprise Ireland and LEO warned.
Enterprise Ireland said its Brexit Readiness Checker should be the first action for any business.
The short 10-minute questionnaire will assess a company's needs and will show the company the next steps it should take.
For those who require assistance with customs procedures, the Local Enterprise Offices are running the Prepare Your Business for Customs workshops.
Open to all, they bring companies through the customs procedures and what you will need to do.
Once businesses know how to approach customs they are in a position to avail of more supports.
Enterprise Ireland's Ready for Customs grant is available of up to €9,000 per full time employee to manage customs procedures.
The Local Enterprise Offices can also provide a Brexit mentor to smaller companies, which employs 10 or less people, to help them address and specific Brexit or Customs issues.
Enterprise Ireland says that companies should ask themselves five questions -
1. Have you secured your EORI number?
2. Have you determined the commodity code for your products?
3. Have you identified who will manage customs procedures and paperwork - will it be in-house or through a broker/intermediary?
4. Have you determined who will have responsibility for all documentation and processing your goods moving to, from or through Britain?
5. Have you the trained personnel in place to manage your customs processes and have you applied for the Ready for Customs grant to support these staff?
