Introduction The movement of medical supplies from Germany to the United Kingdom represents a critical component of healthcare supply chains, encompassing everything from diagnostic instruments and surgical equipment to personal protective equipment and laboratory consumables. While Germany remains one of Europe's leading manufacturers of high-quality medical devices and the UK continues to be a significant [...]
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves presented the UK's Autumn Budget 2025 on 26 November, setting out a fiscal plan shaped by global trade volatility, productivity challenges, and the ambition to restore economic growth through structural reform. For customs professionals, traders, and importers, the Budget delivers consequential changes: the removal of low-value import duty relief, fresh trade agreements [...]
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The European customs landscape is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades, driven by the parallel evolution of two critical systems: the Import Control System 2 (ICS2) and the New Computerised Transit System Phase 6 (NCTS-P6). These developments, culminating in late 2025, represent a fundamental shift in how goods move across European borders, affecting traders, [...]
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India is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical exporters, supplying generic medicines, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and finished formulations to over 200 countries. For UK businesses---including wholesalers, distributors, hospital procurement teams, and retail pharmacy chains---importing pharmaceuticals from India offers significant cost advantages and access to quality-assured products. However, the regulatory landscape demands exceptional diligence. Unlike [...]
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On 13 November 2025, HMRC launched a significant new self-service tool that gives UK importers, exporters, and their agents free access to their customs declaration data. The Get Customs Data for Import and Export Declarations service represents a major shift in how businesses can access, review, and audit their customs information—without the fees previously associated [...]
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Introduction Importing pharmaceuticals from Switzerland to the United Kingdom combines regulatory rigour with logistical precision. Switzerland remains a global leader in pharmaceutical innovation, housing some of the world’s most advanced manufacturing facilities regulated by Swissmedic, while the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) upholds stringent oversight of all medicines entering the British market. [...]
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Introduction: Interpreting a Turning Point in UK Trade The latest data release from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK Trade: September 2025, offers a revealing snapshot of the nation’s external performance. It measures the total value of UK exports and imports of goods and services—both in current prices and in inflation-adjusted “chained volume” terms. [...]
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Importing scientific instruments—ranging from laboratory analyzers, microscopes, and spectrometers to advanced precision sensors—from Germany to the United Kingdom remains a cornerstone of scientific collaboration and technological innovation. Germany’s expertise in high-precision engineering and the UK’s strong research ecosystem make this trade route essential. Following Brexit, however, what was once a simple intra-EU transaction now involves [...]
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