MHW Magazine News and stories from the Materials Handling Industry
The strongly pro-Remain export parcels company ParcelHero say today’s Brexit Government White Paper has much to recommend it for UK exporters and importers to the EU – though it could endanger many e-commerce service businesses.
The news that the Government’s new Brexit White Paper explicitly supports a common rule book for trade in goods with the European Union has been welcomed by the European export specialist ParcelHero.
ParcelHero said there was a surprising amount to welcome in the detail of today’s White Paper, for businesses and individuals shipping regularly to EU countries. Says ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks MILT: ‘The phased introduction of a new Facilitated Customs Arrangement, that would remove the need for customs checks and controls between the UK and the EU, as if they were a combined customs territory, is a hugely sensible and pragmatic approach.’
David continues: ‘We’ve not tried to hide our fears over the imposition of new tariffs and red tape at EU borders. The White Paper’s aim of establishing a new free trade area, maintaining a common rulebook for goods, covering only those rules necessary to provide for frictionless trade at the border, seems sound common sense.’
Says David: ‘We agree that a free trade area for goods would avoid friction at EU borders and ensure both sides meet their commitments to Northern Ireland and Ireland. The Government says the plans “will protect the uniquely integrated supply chains and ‘just-in-time’ processes that have developed across the UK and the EU over the last 40 years”; and if this can really be achieved, it will be an excellent result.’
However, ParcelHero does have significant reservations about the loss of free access between the EU and UK to online services. Says David ‘Many of our customers engage in regular e-commerce with EU businesses and citizens. The new paper specifically says there will be new arrangements on digital trade, including e-commerce, recognising that the UK and the EU will not have current levels of access to each other’s markets. This could be a major loss of access to lucrative markets for some of Britain’s world leading e-commerce businesses.’
However, ParcelHero concludes by saying: ‘All along we have recognised the pro-Brexit argument for wider trade agreements beyond the EU and agree the plans will enable the UK to control its own tariffs for trade with the rest of the world, becoming operational in stages as both sides complete the necessary preparations.’
For more details of the challenges facing the UK’s parcel industry post-Brexit see:https://www.parcelhero.com/blog/news-updates/revealed-the-true-cost-of-brexit
