Politics

EU to ease customs delays on goods if UK sticks to Brexit rules


Fri, Jan 22, 2021 – 5:50 AM

London

THE EU is prepared to ease customs delays on British goods if the UK government sticks to the Brexit agreement’s regulations.

Lengthy customs hold-ups have created considerable problems for British and European hauliers and the fishing and meat industries. There has been considerable wastage and price rises are beginning to have an impact on UK inflation.

The Brexit agreement provided for zero UK tariff trade with the EU but did not exempt British companies from customs controls, paperwork and other red tape.

Senior European diplomatic sources told The Times’ Brussels correspondent that the EU is open to talks on easing border friction.

But such action would depend on whether the British government sticks to the Brexit regulatory accord. The sources said that the concern in Brussels is that the government and Conservative party politicians are “talking up” the possibility of “Singapore on the Thames” type free trade deregulation. They are, for example, concerned that Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to scrap the EU’s “working time directive” that limits labour hours to 48 hours a week.

Unacceptable customs documentation has caused lorry snarl-ups at Channel ports and the Irish Sea.

Northern Ireland in particular is suffering from the teething problems of Brexit. In terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol agreed with the EU at the end of 2019, Northern Ireland effectively remains part of the EU’s customs union and single market. The deal’s aim was to avoid land border friction and violence. UK goods sent to the Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, a member of the European Union across the Irish Sea require customs forms and checks.

This has led to problems, especially the shortage of fresh food for stores in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Customers of Marks & Spencer in Belfast, for example, have complained about empty shelves, although Covid-19 is also a reason.

Michael Gove, Cabinet Office minister, has warned businesses to brace for “significant disruption” at the border when trade begins to increase. French ports have cracked down on lorries that have incorrect paperwork.

Mr Gove said the government would “redouble” its efforts to communicate changes to firms and hauliers that are crossing from Dover to Calais and are struggling to meet the requirements of French customs officials. Disruptions, however, have also been caused by Covid-19 testing.

Mr Gove said that ministers and civil servants would do their utmost to “communicate the precise paperwork that is required” by hauliers so that goods can flow freely.

The Cabinet Office hopes that cross-Channel freight will begin to return to normal in February. But ministers warn that there will be delays if lorry drivers continue to arrive without proper documentation or negative Covid-19 tests.

Since Brexit on Jan 1, about a fifth of lorries bound for the EU were turned back from the UK border. Incorrect paperwork and lack of negative Covid-19 tests were the reasons.

The Cabinet Office’s border operations centre in London is monitoring ports. The centre has been tracking lorry “turn-backs”, where vehicles bound for the EU are stopped at the UK border and refused permission to continue their journey. In recent days, however, the logjam has eased slightly.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised the disenchanted fishing industry that the government would “invest £100 million (S$181 million) in improving our boats, our fish-processing industry and getting fishing ready for the opportunities ahead”.





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