From 1 January 2026, British West Midlands businesses exporting to the European Union (EU) will face new regulations at the border under Regime 42 (a post-Brexit customs process).
The Birmingham office of European road freight operator Europa Road has been supporting the Midlands’ exporters with time-critical shipments for decades. It is estimated that £7.5 billion worth of goods is exported annually from the West Midlands into Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and Germany.
The changes for exporters have sparked some uncertainty for more than 100,000 British businesses trading with the EU, but Europa Worldwide Group has announced two new services that will simplify the process, ensuring British trade with Europe can continue to thrive. The company, based at Prologis Park near Minworth, where the team of facilitates the transport of a variety of consignments.
What are these incumbent changes? - The French tax authorities have confirmed new rules for British goods delivered through France under Delivery Duty Paid (DDP). Under DDP, the seller is responsible for the costs and risks of getting goods to the buyer’s door. However, new legislation dictates that if goods pass through France, the seller must have a French VAT number or a compliant structure where the receiver of the goods is established in the EU.
There are British firms across multiple sectors like automotive, chemicals, agriculture, food and beverage shipping daily to the EU. Europa has worked hard to understand the implications to provide two simple, compliant alternatives that ensure British businesses can continue to use DDP and Regime 42 in 2026 with minimal impact on their customers.
Andrew Baxter (pic), Chief Executive Officer at Europa Worldwide Group, explained: “We have moved decisively to make sure British businesses using DDP will still have access to their EU markets in January 2026 when transporting goods through France.
“Our focus at Europa has been to provide clarity, reassurance and simple choices for exporters in the UK so that they can continue to navigate what is an increasingly complex trading environment. We have been aware of the impending French legislative changes for some time and can confirm that our new DDP Flow customs products will ensure exporters can trade seamlessly post 1 January 2026.”
What are the options for British businesses? - In the wake of Brexit, Europa became the first logistics provider to deliver a DDP solution for road freight travelling from the UK to Europe. Branded as Europa Flow, this pioneering service gave British businesses – who were struggling under the bureaucracy around EU trade – a reliable route and leading transit times during a period of unprecedented uncertainty.
Now, 56 per cent of its groupage shipments are moved using DDP – this means that there are many British businesses who will be impacted by the changes. Drawing on its position of strength with over 100 in-house customs specialists working across the EU and UK, these latest investments within its family of Europa Flow solutions will enable British businesses to trade seamlessly with Europe into 2026 and beyond.
From the 1 January, DDP Flow – Importer’s Signature will provide a simplified option in which the receiver of goods in the EU signs an agreement, allowing Europa to act as indirect representative to exempt VAT. All duties and charges remain billed back to the exporter, ensuring consignments move seamlessly across borders.
Alternatively, DDP Flow – Own French VAT Number will enable exporters to remain legally responsible for fulfilling customs requirements (known as Importer of Record) while Europa manages the administration for a French VAT number and associated reporting on its shipments free of charge. The latest in a long line of innovations to improve bilateral trade post-Brexit, Europa’s services integrate seamlessly into HMRC and French Customs to ensure efficiency and control for British businesses.
Europa Worldwide Group is one of the largest independent logistics operators in the UK and has a customs presence at key EU points of entry and exit, being the largest customs broker in Calais. Europa controls both the transport and the clearance on behalf of its customers rather than relying on third-party support.
Andrew continued: “We transport more than 100,000 DDP consignments a year for businesses across the UK, so now that the French tax authorities have confirmed the situation, we have the services and robust infrastructure in place to keep these goods moving.
“What businesses need now is an expert invested in optimising the flow of UK-EU logistics, who can help cut through the red tape and ensure European customers can receive shipments just like they did pre-Brexit. When we were made aware of the confusion circulating across the industry, it was our priority to actively reach out to customers and address the situation as best we could.
“Initially, there was a good deal of confusion, and we have engaged with hundreds of customers to address their concerns. I’m pleased to say that our expert customs professionals were able to offer the necessary reassurance to restore this confidence.”
“As the regulations landscape continues to evolve, and because customs expertise is so integrated into our software systems, we remain ahead of the curve and provide British exporters with the infrastructure needed to seamlessly transport their goods.” Europa Worldwide Group comprises Europa Road, Europa Air & Sea and Europa Warehouse. It’s expert European road freight division has 15 dedicated branches across the UK and Ireland, as well as teams in the EU.
It was the first company to create a DDP solution for customers post-Brexit and works closely with HMRC in the UK and its EU equivalents.
