Just over two weeks after its final break with the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom is preparing to take the great leap, which could have to be done in the most radical way: without a trade agreement to soften its effects.
According to the British press, London is planning to carry out a large-scale exercise tomorrow Wednesday to test its level of preparedness in the worst scenarios. But shippers, supermarkets and authorities are already up to war to mitigate potentially devastating consequences.
With or without a deal, the UK will leave the customs union and the European single market on January 1. Exporters and importers will face a whole new bureaucracy that could cause delays at the borders.
The British government decided to introduce its future customs controls gradually, until full implementation in July 2021.
But since Brussels did not make the same decision, “companies must prepare for the new demands before January 1, whatever the result, or risk that the goods do not cross the border,” said an official spokesman.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
To avoid a monstrous accumulation of thousands of trucks near Dover, the main British port on the Canal de la Macha, the Executive will only allow the trucks that have completed all the procedures to enter the region.
Huge truck parks are also being built in the south of England and an additional 900 customs inspectors have been recruited, with 1,100 expected to be added in the coming months.
For several weeks, ports have been congested by disruptions to trade caused by the pandemic, as many companies try to secure deliveries in advance to avoid the dreaded January disruption.
The government created a fund to finance port infrastructure worth 200 million pounds ($ 268 million). Warehouses, checkpoints and traffic regulation systems should allow ports to carry out the new formalities.
Also, according to the UK Retail Consortium, to cope with potential supply disruptions, supermarkets have started stocking up on essentials such as canned food, toothpastes and toilet paper.
But the British Federation of Traders warns that the impact is likely to be greater on fresh produce, which cannot be kept, and that food prices could rise due to tariffs and new red tape. (AFP)
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