No deal in sight

Theresa May has said the main aim of the White Paper on Customs and Trading is to “minimise disruption to businesses and travellers.”

So there will be disruptions per se. Also businesses which currently trade solely within the Single Market will now face additional work and on costs as well as added regulations and procedures.

The lorry parks will be situated away from ports to avoid congestion. Beyond the new procedural and checking systems, the customs dues on imports and exports to and from the EU will be detrimental to trade volumes, increase costs to the consumer and damage the economy.

In addition, the proposals also stated that after leaving the lorry park, there will be a hold up at the port, a ‘means’ to confirm that the goods in transit have left the UK.

The nature of the ‘means’ was not detailed. So there will be added disruption, congestion and delay.

That seems to be the twostage process for exporting.

How will imports be dealt with from the EU after we have left the Single Market and Customs Union and the wider world? Check in at port for confirmation and then divert to lorry park network for further confirmation and delay before delivery to customer?

One can also speculate on the possible revival of checks and hold ups at ports and airports to check duty free allowances and purchases made abroad for individual UK travellers returning to Blighty. Declaration of goods bought on holiday! Remember that? Will imported gifts and purchases by individuals now be subject to VAT on top of duty?

The Brexit backlash has not happened, say the Leavers in support of their actions. Brexit has not happened yet. The only certainty is that we are leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union.

That is the hard Brexit in itself hence the incipient panic measures announced to deal with the projected chaos.

Nothing so far about passporting rights either for the finance and banking and other sectors. The three exit issues are still not agreed and it seems UK negotiators are failing to turn up at times. Looks like a no deal finality awaiting!

JOHN EDGAR Merrygreen Place, Stewarton