Great Britain has so far not really enforced Brexit in trade. Trucks from the EU were waved through without being checked. But that will soon change – and it could have consequences.
One year after Brexit, there are again changes in the export of goods from the EU to Great Britain.
So far, the government in London has granted numerous unilateral transition periods for imports from the EU, some of which have been postponed several times. Reasons included difficulties in trading after Brexit and the corona pandemic. Most of the deadlines now finally expire at the turn of the year, some end in mid-2022. This means that controls are now also taking place on the British side. Experts warn that many companies are not yet prepared.
The changes have very practical consequences, as the state-owned foreign trade company Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) emphasizes. From January 1, for example, higher requirements apply to the import of food from the EU. Imports must be registered in advance using an IT application. A veterinary certificate is required for every import. “It is questionable whether exporting to Great Britain will still be worthwhile for many, especially smaller companies, or whether the effort will be too great,” said the GTAI.
Reorganization necessary
Although most companies have now adjusted to the new customs rules for trade between the UK and the EU, the Community has been controlling imports from the UK since January. But the simplified import procedure for goods from the EU in Great Britain can no longer be used. “German exporters have to partially reorganize the processes with their British customers and the transport service providers,” said GTAI customs expert Stefanie Eich. “That is time-consuming and could – at least temporarily – lead to delivery problems.”
Great Britain left the EU customs union and the internal market on January 1, 2021. Despite a last minute trade deal between London and Brussels, there have been tariff hurdles and other barriers since then. The bilateral trade volume has fallen significantly since then.
In October, both imports from the EU and exports to the Community fell, as the British statistical office announced. Imports from non-EU countries were higher than from EU countries for the tenth month in a row, the difference grew to 3.4 billion pounds (almost 4 billion euros), the highest level so far. The British Association of Chambers of Commerce spoke of a warning sign and called for trade relief.
Source From: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
