BASDA influencing the implementation of emerging Brexit policies 

PRIVATE and CONFIDENTIAL and for Member use only

BASDA Chairman, Kevin Hart, recently met individually with Brexit and Treasury ministers in Westminster to discuss the high-level implications upon the software industry of prospective Brexit policy.

Following previous engagements with BASDA, their key concern was how the software industry could respond to the implications of the respective, emerging policies.

BASDA continuing to influence 

Our Chairman made it clear that there were already existing commercial pressures upon our members in regards to:

  • the uncertainty [in regards to Brexit negotiations] and so businesses were reluctant to invest, along with
  • the existing commitments to implement the new Customs Declarations System (CDS) for 2019.

Parallels were drawn to the significant overlap of RTI and Auto-enrolment upon the payroll industry and the challenges and issues it imposed.

Challenges for Members

The corresponding technical overheads in delivering CDS functionality were also highlighted along with the potentially significant consequences of additional VAT development burden (and customer implications).

Industry would need at least 18 months advance notice of the technical requirements for these prospective changes, given how material they may be (particularly, but not exclusively, VAT handling).

The ministers and accompanying Customs and Excise directorate acknowledged this and that they would factor these into the overall decisioning process and timeline planning.

This was an excellent, and potentially unique, opportunity to influence key policy decision making and we certainly look forward to engaging members on this as the implementation policy is formed.

Download the documents here.