/ world today news/ Owners of small businesses in Great Britain fear that new taxes on exports after Brexit will deprive them of the opportunity to deliver their products to European markets, writes The Guardian. British fish exporters say Prime Minister Boris Johnson has misled them about the implications of Britain leaving the EU.
Just over two weeks after the end of the Brexit transition, for British entrepreneurs, owners of both large and small export-oriented companies, Britain’s exit from the EU has brought nothing but a whole series of serious problems, writes The Guardian .
Thus, despite the government’s attempts to present the situation in a better light than it is, British fish exporters are unable to deliver their goods to European markets due to border delays. British fish exporters insist Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his team have misled them about the implications of Britain leaving the EU.
In addition, leading supermarket chains are warning the government of food shortages in Northern Ireland due to new border regulations and red tape. And small British companies fear they have no future in European markets due to a slew of new export taxes.
In particular, Alex Paul, owner of the small company, Leon Paul, told the publication about the problems facing his business. Paul’s company designs and manufactures fencing equipment and employs around 50 people. Along with a number of other small businesses, Leon Paul sells its products in both the UK and the EU. For several decades, the company enjoyed open access to the European Union’s free market.
„The business of sending orders directly to customers in Europe was very simple. You put something in a box, send it by courier – and it reaches the customer in a day or two without any problems, just like at shipping within the country ‘ said Paul, who received almost a third of the company’s £7m annual turnover from customers in the European Union.
According to the entrepreneur, they have done everything possible to prepare for Brexit. After Britain left the single market and the EU Customs Union, Paul’s company – like other British exporters – faced new taxes on exports, including additional administrative costs and the completion of customs declarations by carriers. The company estimates that Leon Paul will spend around £160,000 a year on new charges.
Paul fears that small companies will not be able to sell goods to customers in the EU, “in particular small orders under £100 will be completely impossible“.
During the last two weeks, the entrepreneur decides how to cover the additional costs. One option is to rent warehouses for goods in Europe, but this will reduce the scale of its business presence in the UK. “Of course, we are a relatively small company, but all exporters will face similar costs,” The Guardian quoted Paul as saying.
As the newspaper notes, the government has also warned that more Scottish fishing vessels will soon start unloading their catch in Denmark due to bureaucratic delays created by Brexit. Similar concerns have been raised by a sharp fall in prices in Scottish ports due to difficulties in selling the fish in time in the EU. At the same time, Johnson says he is aware that these issues affect a number of businesses, ensuring that victims will be compensated.
Translation: ES
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