Small UK businesses complain of being caught unawares by EU ‘red tape’

New safety regulations have led SMEs to stop sales to bloc and Northern Ireland while they work out how to comply

Small businesses are warning they have had to pause selling their products in the European Union and Northern Ireland since mid-December while they work out how to comply with new EU product safety regulations that caught many of them unawares.

Skye Weavers, a small family business on the Isle of Skye, says it has missed out on sales of its scarves, shawls and blankets to customers in both markets after halting internet orders from those locations because of the rule change.