www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/brexit-red-tape-if-nothing-changes-ireland-will-be-closed-1.4458597?mode=amp
Brexit red tape: ‘If nothing changes, Ireland will be closed’
At Dublin Port corporate UK’s failure to prepare for Brexit is major part of delays
Ray Cole, transport director of Virginia International Logistics, had three lorries stuck at T11 for three days and another truck sitting at the port terminal for four days trying to get a regular load of car parts – “everything from windscreen wipers to headlights” – in from England.
“They wouldn’t let us leave the trailer there on its own, so we had to keep swapping drivers for it. There were eight drivers involved over the four days. There are no toilets, nothing,” he said.
And
Simon McKeever, chief executive of the Irish Exporters’ Association says that after an initial quiet period “last Wednesday the lights went on”. Members began contacting the association reporting difficulties on both sides of the Irish Sea.
Corporate UK’s failure to prepare for Brexit is a big part of the problem, according to McKeever. “They have no idea what’s required of them,” he says. “They believe that this is an Ireland-only problem, but they are going to see the same problems with the rest of the EU next week.
“They are not sure what level of information they should provide in the first place. There is very little coming in, most of the stoppage is that it’s stuck in warehouses in the UK, that’s because the UK entity does not know what it is supposed to be doing.”
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“Goods that are of EU origin have come from the EU are no longer of EU origin if they move through the UK. They are no longer allowed EU or UK status. It is just crazy stuff,” said Cooke. He is fearful of what will happen when businesses increase freight volumes, currently at a fraction of previous levels; in pre-Brexit times, trade between Ireland and Britain was worth €1 billon a week.
“If nothing changes, the economy is going to be brought to its knees, Ireland will be totally closed,” he says.
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“The whole thing is snowballing,” McKeever warns. “When Irish exports really begin to pick up next week, there may be a shortage of trailers on the island as a whole.” At the same time, he says hauliers are telling him that they may be forced to bring back empty trailers. As those companies will not be able to afford the cost of bringing back empty trucks, they could be forced to pass on the extra expense.
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Last week, the owner of one affected business, who asked not to be named, received a letter from a British-based supplier saying it would now impose a £70 (€79) administration fee to cover customs declarations, made up of £35 at the exit port and £35 at entry. For the Republic, the same British company said it would seek £140, that is, £70 at both exit and entry. The firm added that the best solution was for customers in Ireland to organise shipping themselves.
A brexit opportunity. Get into customs declaration paperwork!