Britain’s Road Haulage Association (RHA) says it remains “extremely sceptical” concerning the UK government’s readiness for the end of the Brexit transition period.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, outlined the administration’s Reasonable Worst Case Scenario and urged business to prepare for 1 January, 2021 when the UK leaves the Single Market and the Customs Union in Europe.
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Gove, who is widely viewed as the number two in government behind Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said the XO Committee, the Cabinet division charged with preparations for the end of the transition period, is now meeting almost daily, taking decisions on trader and haulier readiness, border infrastructure and fisheries protection.
“We know traders and haulage operators will face new customs controls and processes and we know if they haven’t completed the right paperwork their goods will be stopped when entering the EU,” said RHA chief executive, Richard Burnett.
“Mr Gove stresses it’s essential traders act now to get ready for new the formalities. We know for a fact they are only too keen to be ready, but how on earth can they prepare when there is still no clarity as to what they need to do? Traders need 50,000 more customs intermediaries to handle the mountain of new paperwork after transition but government support to recruit and train those extra people is woefully inadequate, particularly as firms are trying to recover from COVID-19.
“For years we’ve been warning government there will be delays at ports but with 70 working days to go until the end of the transition period they’re still not engaging with us to come up with the solutions.
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By GlobalData“The answers to the questions that we raised in our letter to Mr Gove and subsequent round-table meeting last Thursday still remain unanswered; and for the industry on which the entire nation depends for maintaining the flow of goods across borders, the future looks very bleak indeed.”
Gove insisted the British administration is committed to doing whatever it takes to help business and that it has brought in a comprehensive series of measures to help businesses and individuals adapt to the changes ahead.
“We are helping businesses which import by introducing new border controls on imports in stages, and full controls will only be imposed from July of next year,” added Gove.
“We have produced a comprehensive ‘Border Operating Model’, which provides a simplified guide, complemented by the work of GOV.UK for business and will be publishing an updated version with more granular detail in coming weeks.”
