Remember the 50,000 customs agents (intermediaries, not border force officials) needed to deal with post-transition customs formalities @pmdfoster @lisaocarroll @adampayne26 @alanbeattie ? We checked this with members of our customs WG yesterday - over 20 companies... 1/
...from large logistics companies to smaller haulage firms & big retailers and manufacturers. They reckon that this number underestimates the needs, if anything. It's about right if you only consider the volume of new declarations required. 2/
But it does not take into account the need for safety & security declarations - which we've since learnt will most likely be required, trade agreement or not. Nor does it take into account the fact that the low value consignment relief will be abolished at the end of 2020. 3/
For the sake of transparency, the number is based on the additional number of customs declarations required in the UK annually post transition & an estimate of about 4,000 per year per person - which was not contradicted during the meeting. 4/
This is without any doubt one of the biggest challenges we face in preparing for the end of the transition period. It's not one that will be solved by industry alone. Gvt funding/support will be key. We shld explore ways of making the most of apprenticeships. 5/
And we should also ensure that larger traders who can handle some of this capacity themselves skills-wise are able to do so (question of which data will be required & when, which will have a big bearing on recruitment needs). /END
