In a wide-ranging call for evidence, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has invited views on the future of international trade and the impacts of digitalised and modernised trading practices on the UK customs regime.
This follows a consultation on customs intermediaries (see Views sought on mandatory registration for customs intermediaries), with both being part of the Government’s plans to modernise the tax and customs systems.
This call for evidence, details of which can be found here, is open for comments until 15 September 2026 and sets out proposals on the future of customs data and how the UK customs model aligns or could better align with digitalised business operations.
It also considers whether the UK’s approach to customs authorisations supports a modernised trading world, now and into the future, and looks more broadly at the future of international trade and its impacts on commercial operations and the UK customs regime.
HMRC also mentions long-term ambitions to explore integration with commercial digital trade systems, improve the interoperability of UK customs processes with those of key international partners and leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to better automate processes.
Accepting that this may re-open debate about the Single Trade Window (STW), HMRC emphasises that the Government remains committed to this concept and “recently restarted engagement with industry to ensure any ambitions for a UK STW meet customers’ needs today”.
