The Trader Support Service (TSS) was set up at the end of 2020 to assist traders dealing with the new set of customs regulations set out in the Northern Ireland Protocol that came into effect with the UK’s exit from the EU customs union.
Since the Northern Ireland Protocol came into effect on 1st January 2021, over 47,000 traders have registered, there have been over 560,000 goods movements created by TSS involving over 2 million consignments and over 100,000 inbound calls to the TSS contact centres.
In a statement announcing the extension, HMRC has said that it recognises the “comprehensive service” that TSS has provided over the past two years.
“The government is committed to ensuring traders are supported throughout 2023 to meet the requirements of moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including tailoring this support in response to the changes the government is seeking to make to the Northern Ireland Protocol,” it said.