This is an update on the work we have done to ensure that SAGE Publishing is fully prepared for Brexit.
Like everyone else, we don’t know what is going to happen between now and 31st October, the current latest date for UK withdrawal from the European Union. We have been working for more than a year to prepare for the worst case: a “hard Brexit” where the UK leaves the EU with no transitional arrangements in place, and we are now fully prepared
What we do know is that we don’t want our customers anywhere in the world to experience disruption to their business with us, or for there to be impact on their customers, as a result of Brexit.
We are confident that we now have arrangements in place to prevent disruption and ensure continuity of supply for our customers and authors in the UK, the EU and the rest of the world, even if the worst case becomes a reality.
The area of SAGE’s business that is most likely to be affected by a hard Brexit is the supply chain and dispatch of books to countries in the EU and elsewhere on continental Europe, caused by delays at ports in the UK and EU as customs checks take place.
We don’t believe that journals and digital product sales will be significantly disrupted and so we have focused our contingency planning on our books supply chain.
To ensure books are delivered on time and without causing additional work for our customers, we have contracted with PrintForce, a major printer in the Netherlands, to supply local printing in continental Europe.
Customers should continue to place their orders with SAGE by whatever method they normally use. This includes consolidation of SAGE orders, PubEasy, and EDI orders. All orders for customers in the EU and other continental European countries will then be supplied from the Netherlands.
We expect no impact on delivery times or shipping costs. Invoicing will remain substantially the same. Payment processes, returns processes and policies, and the supply of product data via ONIX feeds will remain unchanged. Depending on customers’ VAT status, VAT may be charged, and we can advise on this on a case by case basis.
Again, we can’t know for certain, but it is likely to be worst in the initial months after the UK leaves the EU. We will keep the situation under constant review, develop our plans as required, and keep our customers informed as circumstances change.
There is no need to take any action now. However, if you have any questions, please do ask your usual SAGE contact. We will maintain information on our website at sagepub.com/brexit.
If you have any questions, please contact: brexit.questions@sagepub.co.uk
Thank you for your continuing business with SAGE.
Katharine Jackson
Chief Operating Officer
SAGE Publishing International