29th October 2019
This is an update on the work we have done to ensure that SAGE Publishing is fully prepared for Brexit.
It is not yet clear whether, or on what terms, the UK might leave the EU, and whether that will be on 31st January 2020 or some later date. Nevertheless, we believe it is important that our customers anywhere in the world do not experience disruption to their business with us, or for there to be impact on their customers, as a result of Brexit. We have therefore prepared for the worst case – a situation in which the UK leaves the EU on 31st January 2020 or some other date with no arrangements in place (a “no-deal” 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 no-deal 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.
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.
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.
However, European customers using freight forwarders in the UK may wish to provide us with the details of their shipping agent in the Netherlands, if they have not already done so. While this is not essential, it will allow direct shipment from our printer to a local forwarder and will circumvent potential problems at UK ports.
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