It *is* shameful of the whole UK establishment in not pointing out (despite many brexity claims the GFA has nothing to do with the EU) that the stability of Ireland was very largely made possible by the EU (SM/CU)..in that both countries joined the Single Market together in 1993
paving the way for that wholly open
...only made possible by shared CTA/shared customs (union) territory/shared (single) market standards territory...
no target 'furniture' nor officialdom border
I have tried to use analogies before for UK leaving the EU but perhaps my son has come up with the best one. Imagine Yorkshire wanted to leave UK's customs territory and its shared market standards territory;
to take 'control of its borders' 1/
to create a separate customs territory & separate market standards territory to the UK union single market. Further Yorkshire wanted no close alignment at all on standards nor tariffs. Only the people of Yorkshire were allowed to live/work/study/retire etc in Yorkshire 2/
the rest of UK needed a visa to do so. The UK therefore had no choice, but to control its borders with Yorkshire with reflected visa requirements & for fear of Yorkshire's lower substandard food etc & lower tariffed goods being smuggled across the borders into UK territory. 3/
after spending an arm and a leg getting carnet in EU (vehicle had left Spain, but managed to get Antwerp based company to use a Barcelona company to do it and courier there - think that part probably not 100% legit! but nobody asked my husband for the carnet.
Calais border force didn’t want to see it, said P&O would check, they didn’t. Border force guy at Dover said “what’s a carnet?”
Exploding head Husband said “I haven’t been through this rigmarole to not have someone look at the damn thing!”
Not "news" to me
(was always out of SM&CU regardless of any "deal" guaranteed)
but a confirmation of what’s doing the rounds - received today: h/t @challifour
"Firstly I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and patience since January.
As I’m sure it is no secret to anyone, we have been under immense pressure and the challenges just keep mounting. I like to think we can all agree that Freight Transport have risen to the task well, having the understanding from customers has been just what we have needed
to get into the swing of things and maintain the highest possible standard of service. I have tried to leave customers alone whilst we all get used to the post Brexit way of doing things, but now it is time for my depressing Brexit updates to start once again as there is
Extract from latest Hull & Goole Port Health Authority update report
(To be Repeated across UK ports)
Brexit is far from "done"
The original volumetric data supplied to ports and port health authorities in 2020 on
predicted numbers of EU import checks was used in plans ...
for construction of the new
BCPs (Border Posts) and for additional resources required by port health authorities, with our successful
funding bid also based on those estimated volumes.
With greater knowledge, based on actual consignment volumes from EU to UK since 1
January 2021
new HMRC data now predicts the expected volumes of relevant EU
consignments arriving at our 2 BCPs will be far greater than originally envisaged, thus
placing additional pressures on the Authority and port operators to have sufficient
resources in place.
*Full* "customs". SPS especially..and safety/security "checks"; processes/certifications & declarations...
"you aint seen nothing yet" ..it does seem there will be no more delays in implementing GB "ham sandwich" & ciggies "checks" ??..
starting 1/10 through Jan to March 2022.
(these checks btw based on entering a different regulated market & customs territory not your nationality..so Brits returning to UK from EU will get the "treatment" as well as Dutch/EU citizens returning to NL/EU..oh & GB citizens entering NI. Don't try smuggling in a Scotch egg)
This *is* handy for what is coming ..& remember it's without that GB supply processing throughput capacity (nor even sufficient awareness from GB buyers/EU suppliers)
to meet this out of SM&CU demand.. h/t @BCCletts
Some might remember me periodically tweeting that more freight will be moved onto LoLo routings/ports as driver accompanied RoRo falls...BUT that isn't enough capacity here.
Ferries turned back as not enough discharging space for the trailers not customs cleared quickly enough
(again not enough qualified capacity/staff) nor lifted on quickly enough..Remember UK grown to be 85/15 *RoRo* dependent on EU hauliers/drivers keeping that circular back/forth EU/UK flow moving.
The efforts to use LoLo routings now at the point where the inbalance is too great
in the UK drivers ratio to the EU drivers dropping EU side. Operators here are warning they will need to reduce the number of free storage days.
The EU owners/operators of the trailers are pushing back saying they will simply stop sending over their unaccompanied trailers