Each year, importers need to be aware of certain dates to make importing less stressful.
Here are the key dates to be aware of in 2024:
January
1st January
From the 1st of January, new customs tariffs agreed in the last few months of 2023 will now apply to certain goods and must be reported by any businesses importing or exporting them.
The most important changes include goods such as bananas, tomatoes and even parts of the seats in your car! Because only up-to-date commodity codes will be accepted, shipping businesses must check and maintain their master data and templates to eradicate old commodity codes and avoid delays.
31st January
Goods coming from Ireland that fall under SPS measures, or sanitary and phytosanitary regulations, will now need to be prenotified on the UK’s SPS import system, IPAFFS.
SPS measures are applied to goods at various stages, from processing to transportation, to govern food safety and animal and plant health regulations. Examples of SPS measures include testing for plant diseases before they are imported and inspecting food processing areas to police hygiene and safety standards in food processing and production.
Another change sees medium-risk animal and plant products require health and phytosanitary certificates issued in the country of origin when imported to Great Britain from the EU.
February
9th February
Chinese New Year is a 15-day celebration that begins on the first new moon of the year. This fact means the dates change annually, and in 2024 the festival spans February 9th to 24th.
The 2-week long shutdown that comes hand in hand with CNY can be truly disruptive for shipping businesses if they haven’t planned ahead. Read more about how it impacts freight here.
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14th February
We love love, don’t we?
Many shipping businesses are likely to see an uptick in sales in the run-up to Valentine’s Day as consumers worldwide prepare to show their special people just how special they are. It’s reportedly the second busiest time of year for shippers, with Christmas coming in at #1.
March
23rd March
Remember when fuel duty rates were cut by 5p for 12 months to help us manage our money amid skyrocketing living costs?
Well, that year is nearly up, and the reduction is about to end.
29th March
Good Friday is a Christian holiday focusing on the crucifixion of Jesus, and it comes just before the UK celebrates Easter in April. There are two bank holidays to watch out for here, as your UK-based suppliers may not be open.
30th March
The CDS, or Customs Declaration Service, with be the UK’s single customs platform from 30th March 2024. This means that all businesses must declare goods through the service from this point onwards.
April
1st April
Easter Monday! The demand for goods in the run-up to the Easter holidays soars, especially for chocolate-based commodities. It’s vital businesses expecting a rise in sales prepare for this hike in freight forwarding to avoid delays and supply chain problems.
30th April
The UK left the EU in 2020, and that meant that we were now responsible for looking after our own border arrangements. At the end of April 2024, documentary checks and physical and identity checks will be introduced at the border for medium-risk animal products, plant and plant products imported to GB from the EU as a step towards implementing biosecurity, animal health and welfare and food safety regulations.
May
There are two bank holidays in May, and don’t we know it!
Though bank holidays are usually one-off dates, they can still cause big disruptions to deadlines. And if your goods are being exported or imported on an inflexible timeline, this can cause massive issues and unhappy customers.
Mark the 6th and 27th of May in your calendar now to avoid problems later down the line.
August
1st August
Businesses involved in the alcoholic product business, from manufacture to consumption, will have been glad to have experienced a duty freeze on alcohol over the last 18 months, but this could be lifted in summer 2024.
26th August
The summer bank holiday pops up near the end of August. We’re happy consumers in the brighter, warmer summer months, and like the other bank holidays peppered throughout the calendar year, this one can disrupt your regular shipments.
September
Consumer spending reaches incredible highs during the back-to-school shopping season.
Shippers and logistics companies are called to get underway with their logistics planning as the retail sector sees a hike in sales. Prepare for this part of the year by keeping stock levels high and maintaining great customer service.
October
1st October
Ever heard of Golden Week? In China, this is one of the busiest times of the year.
Millions of people use this one-week holiday, which falls from the 1st to the 7th of October in 2024, to go on holiday or visit family. Like Chinese New Year, this means that plenty of Chinese businesses are out of action; to mitigate potential delays, you’ll need a robust plan way ahead of time that factors in the closures of Golden Week.
31st October
We know the 31st of October as Halloween, but in 2024, it’s also an important date for the shipper’s calendar.
From 31st October next year, businesses will need to start making entry summary declarations for goods coming into Great Britain, into Northern Ireland from Great Britain, or into Northern Ireland from outside the EU.
The entry summary declaration contains information about your goods that focuses on safety and security. It must be clear, complete and accurate to avoid delays and submitted before the consignment arrives at the border. Before you can submit a declaration, you must be registered with either the Safety and Security (S&S GB) service or the Import Control System Northern Ireland (ICS NI).
November
29th November
Black Friday is traditionally the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States and marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping frenzy. The UK, among other countries worldwide, has adopted this tradition, and Black Friday deals and sales compete for our attention in the run-up.
Black Friday sees billions of people spend a lot of money buying their friends and family goodies, and that means mega amounts of shipments, an increase in transportation requirements, a demand for tons of warehousing space and potential manpower shortages. These factors can all lead to supply chain challenges.
December
2nd December
Cyber Monday takes place on the Monday following Black Friday. It’s a digital-only shopping event involving discounts and deals and attracts a ton of consumers every year.
Like Black Friday, Cyber Monday presents a huge strain on shippers and businesses who suddenly need to move a lot of goods FAST, so meticulous planning and preparation are key to successful shipping and happy consumers.
Christmas
The weeks (and even months) leading up to Christmas are busy for consumers and shipping businesses alike. As demand grows for goods worldwide, container availability and port operations experience increased pressure to get goods where they need to be on time.
Plan Ahead And Satisfy Your Customers
To make sure you maintain a great company reputation, please your loyal customers and get consignments to their destination on time, make a note of these dates and employ rigorous planning throughout the year.
Need help finding the best freight solutions for your shipments? Look no further. Contact Millennium today.