Reply to: Brexit: Customs checks to be simplified in no-deal situation

[original PM]

Midnight GMT, or midnight CET?

The EU is punishing the UK so much that we are leaving at midnight their time.
Or was it poor negotiating by the UK’s crack team of negotiators?
Or is it just a joke?

I guess in reality nobody cares.

[WTFH]

What do you think is going to change when the clock ticks past midnight on brexit day?

Midnight GMT, or midnight CET?

The EU is punishing the UK so much that we are leaving at midnight their time.
Or was it poor negotiating by the UK’s crack team of negotiators?
Or is it just a joke?

[meridian]

What do you think is going to change when the clock ticks past midnight on brexit day?

Well, this is awkward. Apparently the UK Gov thinks there will be some changes...

Exporting and importing fish if there’s no Brexit deal - GOV.UK

[meridian]

If anyone’s in any doubt about Calais’ seriousness in getting things to work, they’ve banned Failing Grayling from the area:

Chris Grayling banned from Calais after Brexit row with port's chairman

[WTFH]

What seems to be being presented, and what I am countering, is that everything will be rosy in the EU garden and the claim be remainders that it is only the UK that will be turned into a lorry park. My point is that if you want to take that stance then you have to acknowledge that it works both ways.

It works both ways, very true, that's why it's a good idea to try to negotiate a deal. But when one side doesn't turn up for negotiations, and can't even agreed within itself what it wants, then it's hard to reach a deal.
And no, it's not the EU's fault that the UK Brexit community are clueless and directionless.

But now a few facts:
1. The UK is not the EU's biggest customer.
2. The UK is not the EU's biggest supplier.
3. More than 50% of the UK's trade is with the EU-27.
4. Less than 10% of their trade is with the UK.

[Eirikur]

Lorries will be able to drive straight off ferries and Channel Tunnel trains without making customs declarations in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the government has announced.

New guidance for importers and hauliers says firms would file a simplified form online in advance and pay duty later.
Hauliers have warned that no-deal could result in long queues at Channel ports.

The industry said firms would still not be ready for a "chaotic" EU exit - even with these simplified procedures.

Brexit: Customs checks to be simplified in no-deal situation - BBC News

Taking control of the British borders means let everything and everybody through unchecked, sure this is what the brexidiots wanted

[meridian]

Well lets initially keep things as they currently are for goods coming in from the countries in the SM/CU - it was fine the day before we leave so no reason to think it will not be ok the day after we leave - and then we review it during the first few months and see if the checks we used to do are turning up more/less or about the same number of problems.

That is pretty much what is being proposed. It's okay for the short term as a temporary measure.

When we have left though there will be change, so clearly our checks will eventually need to be different.

There will be small changes immediately (different paperwork, tariffs to be paid, VAT, etc). There will be changes longer term as our regulations diverge, so more and more checks will be required to ensure EU regulatory changes haven't negatively impacted the regulatory requirements of products imported into the UK.

For the medium to long term, as we diverge, we will also need to be careful that we are applying the same checks to EU goods that we apply to eg USA or China, to avoid any accusations of discriminatory practice.

Or do you believe that suddenly there will be lots of nefarious companies in the EU trying to send substandard goods/lorries full of zombies just because we have left?

Nearly any manufacturing industry is rife with counterfeiting and tax avoidance by nefarious indviduals and groups. Cigarettes, alcohol, clothing, toys, building products, etc. If we reduce checks then yes, there will be organisations that will seek to take advantage of this. Some will be EU-based, some will be British, some will be non-EU.

Checking for this is one of the key aspects of securing our borders, isn't it?

[original PM]

I think it was you that said that they worked in a bonded warehouse before? If so, what do you think the ramifications are for not checking what is in the truck meets the manifesto?

But that’s a red herring anyway.

The question is simple: as an independent third country no longer in the SM or CU, do you think our checks should be more, the same, or less for trucks coming from another market?

Well lets initially keep things as they currently are for goods coming in from the countries in the SM/CU - it was fine the day before we leave so no reason to think it will not be ok the day after we leave - and then we review it during the first few months and see if the checks we used to do are turning up more/less or about the same number of problems.

Or do you believe that suddenly there will be lots of nefarious companies in the EU trying to send substandard goods/lorries full of zombies just because we have left?

[Cirrus]

EU: Yes. EURO: No.

Incidently have you been watching the bbc2 series Inside Europe, 10 Years in Turmoil. Very interesting last night how a key decision on the Euro could only be made by Germany.

Oh please, Yorkie - don't let's get dragged back into talking about the Euro. This is all about the EU bloc and nothing to do with the similarly sounding currency.

[meridian]

Brexit: Customs checks to be simplified in no-deal situation

What do you think is going to change when the clock ticks past midnight on brexit day?

Are all these lorries suddenly going to stop carrying food and start carrying zombies?

I think it was you that said that they worked in a bonded warehouse before? If so, what do you think the ramifications are for not checking what is in the truck meets the manifesto?

But that’s a red herring anyway.

The question is simple: as an independent third country no longer in the SM or CU, do you think our checks should be more, the same, or less for trucks coming from another market?

[meridian]

That depends on what the solutions are. What was being presented here was that Calls would wave through all lorries bound for the UK but would block any Lorries returning. Yes there is a problem with that solution and that is you will soon run out of ferries.

No, the solution presented was that they are recruiting an additional 200 customs officers. But let’s take your worst case scenario where, as you rightly point out, they may run out of ferries.

Clearly, there will then be a backlog of trucks at Calais.

And, presumably, all of that produce sitting on those trucks in Calais is not getting to the U.K.

Are you advocating that there is a possibility of food shortages in the U.K.?

[original PM]

Should it be any worse than it is now? We’re now a third country, outside of the single market and customs union. A large number in this country don’t trust the EU.

Do you think that checks on goods and vehicles for anything coming in to the U.K. as an independent country should be more, the same, or less, than checks when we were part of the EU?

What do you think is going to change when the clock ticks past midnight on brexit day?

Are all these lorries suddenly going to stop carrying food and start carrying zombies?

[Yorkie62]

So even after the announcements by both Calais and Dover, are you saying that there are problems with the solutions?

That depends on what the solutions are. What was being presented here was that Calls would wave through all lorries bound for the UK but would block any Lorries returning. Yes there is a problem with that solution and that is you will soon run out of ferries.

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[meridian]

What seems to be being presented, and what I am countering, is that everything will be rosy in the EU garden and the claim be remainders that it is only the UK that will be turned into a lorry park. My point is that if you want to take that stance then you have to acknowledge that it works both ways.

So even after the announcements by both Calais and Dover, are you saying that there are problems with the solutions?

[Yorkie62]

Well, how about you come up with a solution?

You’re very quiet when it comes to workable solutions, how about you repeat your “it’s not a problem, no paperwork needed”, it’s what has been touted since those who wanted to leave have been asked what their suggested solution is.

Sticking your fingers in your ears is not a solution to something that requires an answer.

What seems to be being presented, and what I am countering, is that everything will be rosy in the EU garden and the claim be remainders that it is only the UK that will be turned into a lorry park. My point is that if you want to take that stance then you have to acknowledge that it works both ways.

Incidently have you been watching the bbc2 series Inside Europe, 10 Years in Turmoil. Very interesting last night how a key decision on the Euro could only be made by Germany.

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