Tunbridge Wells, UK: Border changes need to be adopted fast to minimise friction at the border, says Logistics UK (formerly the FTA).
“The quicker the changes are implemented, the sooner the UK can benefit from a joined-up approach,” Sarah Laouadi, manager, European and international policy, Logistics UK, says.
“While we welcome the strategic objectives of the strategy, logistics operators need to see greater ambition in the timeframe of the government’s 2025 UK Border Strategy,” she says.
“The concepts of upstream compliance, e-documents and single window to avoid duplication of data submission are particularly important to support trade but our members want the proposed changes brought forward as soon as possible to minimise friction at the border. The quicker the changes are implemented, the sooner the UK can benefit from a joined-up approach – and we believe this must be before 2025.
“We are also calling on the UK government to refresh the strategy during 2021 to account for the changes that will take place following the end of the EU Exit transition period. UK borders, particularly used for Roll On, Roll Off (RoRo) traffic, will change dramatically as the EU Exit transition period comes to an end, and taking stock of how it changes will be crucial to refine the longer-term border strategy and ensure that trade continues to flow freely to and from the EU.
“Finally, we are also urging government to carry out a “red tape review” to minimise burdens on business. For example, removing the requirement to complete Intrastat declarations (a statistics database for EU members) after the transition period ends.
“We will be pressing government to ensure the strategy delivers the best outcome for logistics, consumers, and the wider UK economy alike.”
