SEVINGTON, England - Deal or no deal, British companies will have to confront a wall of bureaucracy that threatens chaos at the border if they want to sell into the world’s biggest trading bloc when life after Brexit begins on January 1.
But with a matter of weeks to go, companies used to trading as easily to Berlin as to Birmingham are yet to see the new IT systems. The current row over whether Britain leaves the EU with or without a deal has helped mask the fact that the deal on offer represents the biggest change to UK trade since the formation of the single market in 1993.
A step-by-step guide on one of the main customs clearance sites gives a flavour of what traders can expect. The logistics industry estimates an additional 215 million customs declarations will need to be filled in each year after Brexit.While disruption is expected in early 2021, British companies could be ousted from the complex manufacturing supply chains which stretch across Europe if that persists.
One senior director at a big British supermarket said he did not know whether he could keep his trucks rolling. “If it’s fresh food, if you lose a day and you lose the sequence, the whole thing falls over,” he said, declining to be named. While logistics giants like DPD, DHL and UPS offer a range of services, most independent drivers do not have any experience of dealing with paperwork, meaning they will rely on their customers or customs brokers to complete it.
“Time is money,” he said, adding that he was “obsessed” with finding any titbit of information to prepare.Some truck owners are going further, hiring customs staff and registering to move goods in one transit movement across several EU countries to limit the checks. But they have complained of having to deal with multiple government departments and months of delays.
In its defence, the government says it has set aside 84 million pounds to train new customs intermediaries and phased in paperwork demands for imports, reducing the initial impact.
A totally avoidable and utterly pointless mess and now is really not the time for this carnage.
The reality now clear to most of the 17 million gullible victims. No more shouts of project fear. Imagine admitting you actually believed the lies 🤣😂
Reality check heading the way of those who thought that Brexit would be the easiest thing in the world, with no downsides. Still, blue passports......
This break away from EU will have a lasting impact not only on trade and commerce but other fields as well.
Trump bet on Boris ... but the British will feel the exit of Europe in their skin. Biden will return to good relations with Europe and this is good news and gives hope to Americans if they vote well
even in the picture you posted..show me an English HGV
UTTER RUBBISH, around 80% of HGV's crossing the English channel are from the continent & with the UK having a £95bil deficit with the EU it will hurt them way more..not very good for a financial commentator are you ?
Typical british arrogance comes back to bite.
The sooner the better for UK to leave the corruptive EU
And so it begins...
They’ve had 4 years
Zero sympathy.
it’s funny how the brits thought they would keep the parts they like about the eu and do away with the rest... how’s that working for you guys? lol
They voted for it with this man's help.
Yuo guys really are worried for us lol
I’m really not looking forward to this. England has little green space left as it is, and to see them being paved over so trucks can sit in line for hours with their engines idling... jeez what a mess
They kinda asked for it tho🤷🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️