NEWS Register at www.stationerymatters.news to receive our biweekly industry e-newsletter Lime announces partnership with Lannoo and Quattro Colori Flying in the face of Brexit, Lime Stationery & Art has announced a new collaboration with Lannoo Graphics, a division of Lannoo Publishing Group, one of Benelux’s leading publishing companies with six sites throughout Belgium and the Netherlands. Lannoo Graphics specialises in the design, development and marketing of high-quality stationery covering Back to School, social, gift, creative stationery and licensed bags, with sales to more than 30 countries in Europe. Lannoo Graphics managing director Kurt Devriese said:“We are thrilled about our partnership with Lime Stationery & Art. Through the brands they represent and the way Michael,Tracy and the whole team at Lime approach the market, we see that we share the same DNA. Lannoo Graphics too has a tradition of working with high-quality fancy stationery, diaries, pen cases, bags and accessories meant for specialised retail. As we see a growing number of consumers paying attention to qualitative, functional products with a ‘plus’, we see an important potential for the combination of Lime Stationery & Art and Lannoo Graphics in the UK market.” Michael Owen, director at Lime Stationery & Art added:“The new partnership between Lime Stationery & Art and Lannoo Graphics enables us to get fully involved in an established BackTo School offer, which Lime has never had. Lannoo are highly regarded throughout Europe as the leader in premium Back to School products.We were both attracted because on one hand we wanted to add Back to School to our offer, with Lannoo wanting to rely more on everyday products, where we are stronger.The Quattro Colori range fits perfectly into our love of premium stationery products.” Michael shared with Stationery Matters his opinions on how Brexit will affect elements of the stationery industry:“Brexit …. now there’s a subject. I have many opinions on Brexit, many of which you wont be able to publish. It is enough to say that premium stationery has become higher priced, along the same lines as everything else.The premium stationery market requires people to have a degree of disposable income.We are finding that as this reduces, people are reverting back to basic stationery. Brexit will push this even further as people become more uncertain. I suspect the overall stationery market will stay static, with premium noticing a slightly tougher year. UK agents and distributors could become more valuable, as it will be imperative that any new required tariffs and paperwork be kept away from the retailer.This job will fall to the agent or distributor, if they are prepared to do it. Obviously someone will have to pay for this service.” www.limestationery.co.uk AUTUMN//WINTER 2018 7 WITH time running out for the UK and the EU to decide on the basis of a new arrangement for trade in goods when the UK leaves the EU on 29 March next year, businesses should be considering what the consequences may be should there be ‘no deal.’ Of course we are hoping for a transition period, during which everything remains as it is today for trade, both within and outwith the EU, but that is dependent upon the European Commission and the UK coming to some agreement soon. Currently, goods traded between the UK and EU are not subject to any import duty and, for supplies to VAT-registered businesses, import VAT charges. In the worst-case scenario, i.e. with no deal, when you sell goods to customers in the EU, they would have to pay import duties at the same rates that currently apply to non- EU imports. Also, the goods would require an export declaration to leave the UK and an import declaration to enter the EU. This would be an additional cost for you and for your customer who may also, depending on the type of goods and the applicable rules within the EU member state of arrival, need to pay import VAT. Similarly, for goods received into the UK from the EU, you would have to pay import charges which, initially at least, would be the same rates as those applied to goods imported from non- EU countries today. While for many paper products the duty rate would be 0%, there would be duty and VAT to pay on other imported stationery items – and you would have the added cost of having to pay an agent to make that import declaration on your behalf. Of course, this is not a position that either the UK Government or the EU wants, particularly because of the Irish land boundary where border controls would be unacceptable. It is now recognised that a “soft border” between the UK and EU facilitated by technology is not going to be available in the required timescales – the EU wants the new arrangements to be in place by the end of 2020. The Government White Paper published in July proposes that there should be a free trade arrangement resulting in little change, and certainly no customs clearances on goods moving between the UK and EU. But, if there were differences in EU and UK duty rates (for example if the UK no longer applied high tariffs on Chinese coated fine paper) there would be a complex system for dealing with imports into the UK which are destined for both the UK and EU markets. There would be the option for businesses authorised by HMRC as ‘trusted traders’ to pay the higher rate of duty on the goods when they were imported and then claim a repayment of the duty on the goods that are placed on the UK market. It is complicated! However, we need not get too excited about the detail just yet, as the proposal has to get past the EU and UK politicians first. In the meantime, we are told that HMRC is preparing for ‘no deal’ as, just in case it should happen, they want to minimise disruption as much as they are able. You must consider this too, especially if you have only traded within the EU before. HMRC has promised that, as soon as it can, it will publicise what business needs to do – it’s just that unless our politicians get a move on, there may not be much time for business to carry out those preparations. BARBARA SCOTT offers insight into the latest negotiations regarding post-Brexit trade between Britain and the EU. NEWS: BREXIT CUSTOMS UPDATE Photo by Dylan Nolte on Unsplash Barbara Scott is the owner of CustomsAssociates Ltd,an independent customs and international trade consultancy providing advice and support to importers and exporters. She helps companies,ranging from small independent importers to global companies,to pay the minimum amount of import duties,whilst at the same time complying with the many customs and trade regulations laid down by the European Commission. www.customs.co.uk DEAL OR NO DEAL Colour and sparkle like never before! Amazing iridescent colours – different on dark or light coloured paper Pentel (Stationery) Ltd., Hunts Rise, South Marston Park, Swindon, Wilts. SN3 4TW. Tel. 00 44 (0) 1793 823333. Email: salesoffice@pentel.co.uk. NEW COLOURS COMING SOON! Register at www.stationerymatters.news to receive our biweekly industry e-newsletter