UK Borders Are A Long Way Off Target

A recent study by the National Audit Office (NAO) concluded that the UK’s target of having “the most effective border in the world” is still a long way from coming to fruition.

The report highlighted that repeated delays crossing the UK-EU borders have led to increased risk and unnecessary costs since the UK left the European Union, also estimating that exporters and importers have incurred up to £7.5 billion in additional tax.

The UK government had planned to introduce several new import controls by October, including customs checks, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls, and safety and security declarations (SSD). However, these plans have already been delayed five times.

The NAO report highlighted that these delays have led to wasted costs for infrastructure and staff that were not needed by both the government and traders, along with increased biosecurity risk.

Several trade organisations have subsequently expressed concerns about the report’s findings, including the British International Freight Association (BIFA) and the Road Haulage Association (RHA)

The NAO have made a range of recommendations to the government, including suggesting the government reviews the effectiveness of their new control measures, that they monitor compliance, and be sure that ports have sufficient staffing and infrastructure to operate controls.

As the current BIFA Freight Service Award winners for European logistics, Atlantic Pacific are continuing to offer a range of solutions that help customers navigate post-Brexit trade barriers. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team.