VAT changes after Brexit

[NotAllThere]

...I used to drive past a queue of lorries several km long every time I drove in and out of Switzerland, and the queue was stationary, I rarely saw the queue actually move when I was driving past it.

They queue on the motorway, then a batch of them will be moved forward. When they've been processed, the next batch is moved forward. Typical queuing times are an hour or two. Except mondays - it takes a bit longer then.

[WTFH]

And if there are delays, then it will be on both sides of the borders. If there's a requirement for lorry parks in Dover then there'll be an equal requirement for them in Calais too.

So you mean it's a lose-lose situation, both sides are "worse off" in your eyes, but you're happy with that, as long as they "suffer" as much as we do.
Except their suffering is that they can't get exports into one of their smaller customers, they'll survive without our imports. Our suffering is that we can't get imports from one of our major suppliers and we can't get sales out to one of our major customers.

[BlasterBates]

So you mean it's a lose-lose situation, both sides are "worse off" in your eyes, but you're happy with that, as long as they "suffer" as much as we do.
Except their suffering is that they can't get exports into one of their smaller customers, they'll survive without our imports. Our suffering is that we can't get imports from one of our major suppliers and we can't get sales out to one of our major customers.

If the Germans can't import Cheddar cheese from the UK they can simply import a bit more Gouda or Leerdammer from Holland.

The UK has no option, doubling the capacity of their sea ports isn't really an option, the stuff will simply rot in Calais.

[darmstadt]

If the Germans can't import Cheddar cheese from the UK they can simply import a bit more Gouda or Leerdammer from Holland.

Nah, most German supermarkets just sell Kerrygold Cheddar Cheese which comes from within the EU although if you want GB cheddar then you need to go to the cheese counter

[WTFH]

The UK has no option, doubling the capacity of their sea ports isn't really an option, the stuff will simply rot in Calais.

And while it's rotting there, the UK small businesses buying it in will have already paid VAT on their pro forma invoices.

[tomtomagain]

So you mean it's a lose-lose situation, both sides are "worse off" in your eyes, but you're happy with that, as long as they "suffer" as much as we do.
Except their suffering is that they can't get exports into one of their smaller customers, they'll survive without our imports. Our suffering is that we can't get imports from one of our major suppliers and we can't get sales out to one of our major customers.

Yes. It's a lose-lose. Am I happy with that? No of course not. I bring it to your attention because when confronted with a "Lose-Lose" situation the negotiating sides will generally seek to find a workable "Win-Win".

[WTFH]

Yes. It's a lose-lose. Am I happy with that? No of course not. I bring it to your attention because when confronted with a "Lose-Lose" situation the negotiating sides will generally seek to find a workable "Win-Win".

Which would be why a few weeks ago Davis & May were saying to prepare for a hard Brexit and this was seen as "a good thing" by their supporters, but now the EU are saying they need to prepare for a hard Brexit, this is seen as "a bad thing" by the same people.

[NotAllThere]

If the Germans can't import Cheddar cheese from the UK they can simply import a bit more Gouda or Leerdammer from Holland.

The UK has no option, doubling the capacity of their sea ports isn't really an option, the stuff will simply rot in Calais.

Export Blue Stilton. Then no one can tell it's rotting.

[BlasterBates]

Yes. It's a lose-lose. Am I happy with that? No of course not. I bring it to your attention because when confronted with a "Lose-Lose" situation the negotiating sides will generally seek to find a workable "Win-Win".

The US Australia deal, is what one could call a lose win trade deal, where the US cut a deal that increased their exports and decreased Australia's exports.

That's what happens when you negotiate with a country that is much bigger than you.

The EU will cut a deal on goods and the UK will agree because it's all they'll get. The trouble is the UK economy is 80% services. The Europeans will be happy because they will still be able to flog their Prosecco and BMW's, and snaffle a few tens of thousands of jobs in Financial services, in return the UK government will breathe a sigh of relief that Nissan won't shut its factory, at least not yet.

The next deal the UK will do is with the US.