Ports ‘must be ready on first day after we leave’

EUROPEAN PORTS must be ready to deal with customs declarations on day one of Brexit or British exporters could face significant disruption, a think-tank has warned.

The Institute for Government (IfG) claimed the issue was “particularly vital” in the case of the Irish land border, although the Government has insisted there will be no return to a “hard” frontier.

It warned that businesses face a “canyon not a cliff-edge” and stressed the likes of Calais, Dunkirk, Rotterdam and other European ports must get ready alongside Britain’s borders.

The introduction of customs declarations will affect up to 180,000 traders and could cost them more than £4 billion a year, the study suggests.

The Government has called for a time-limited transition period after the UK’s formal exit in March 2019, where customs arrangements will remain largely the same as they are now.

But Ministers’ commitment to eventually leave the European Union customs union, while seeking to strike a free trade agreement, has raised concerns that customs checks will be introduced at UK borders, increasing costs for businesses.

The IfG said preparing the border for Brexit is a “huge task with a hard deadline”, and will require the Government to “orchestrate change across more than 30 government departments and public bodies, as well as over 100 local authority organisations”.

In addition, a “complex web” of private-sector organisations must also be ready so trade can continue to flow across the border on day one after Brexit, the report said.

The think-tank recommended moving customs requirements away from the physical border, retaining access to key EU computer systems and establishing working groups to scope out implementation details with the private sector.

Ministers must also ensure HMRC’s new customs technology programme is delivered because “the system is already facing significant issues because of constricted timelines”, the analysis warned.

Joe Owen, a senior researcher at the IfG, said: “The UK Government is only one of many players who need to be ready if disruption is to be minimised on day one after Brexit.

“But the problem is that everyone from port operators to small traders can only undertake limited preparation while future arrangements are so uncertain.”