New Brexit rules bring strict border checks for hauliers, James O'Brien told

30 June 2020, 14:14 | Updated: 30 June 2020, 14:24

Plan for post-Brexit border checks with the EU

By Seán Hickey

HMRC have released their post-Brexit plan for hauliers moving to and from the EU when when Britain leaves at the end of the year.

Journalist Joe Mayes assured James O'Brien that "four years on from the referendum it's looking like it still has some holes and it's sketchy in places." After new plans have broken down regulations for hauliers post-Brexit.

James wanted to know "the most salient points" of the plans for UK border checks. Mr Mayes told him that "after Brexit if you are a UK truck wanting to move to the EU you'll have to get a reference number from this new IT system called the Goods Vehicle Movement Service and you'll get that reference by proving that you've filed a customs declaration.

"The obstacle you'll face is having to prove to authorities that you have that number and you'll have to go through checkpoints to show you've got it before you get to the port, because the government really wants to avoid trucks arriving at ports without the right documents."

James wondered "where might those checks be done instead" if they won't be done at Dover, where the journalist told him there is no confirmation, but "sites like Manson Airfield, places around Dover which can take a lot of lorries where you could check the numbers before the truck is allowed to go to the port but that's still to be confirmed."

James asked Mr Mayes to give listeners context to the announcement, asking the journalist "what the current situation would be if they were to be making this journey."

"Currently there are very minimal documentation requirements, if you're going from the UK to the EU you just take your truck down to Dover, you get on the ferry and you cross into the EU."

"There's very little friction" he said, "but Brexit necessarily creates that friction once you're out of the Customs Union."

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