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Logistics UK responds to Kent Council leaders' letter to government regarding EU Entry and Exit System (EES)
Nichola Mallon, Head of Trade and Devolved Policy said: “The logistics sector is in wholehearted agreement with the sentiment expressed in the letter from Kent Council Leaders, urging the government to do everything in its power to reduce the risk of disruption when EES checks at the UK’s borders are introduced by the EU later this year.
"The Council Leaders rightly remind the government of the importance of the Short Straits as a critical UK EU trade route and point out that if Kent is gridlocked, supply chains will be fundamentally impacted, therefore the implementation of EES is not just a Kent problem – but a national one.
“A quarter of all food imported into the UK from the EU passes through the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel, and while the short delay recently announced by the European Commission is welcomed, it doesn’t give enough time to address all the industry’s key concerns.
"The government must now do all it can to secure a further extension and a phased approach to the planned implementation of EES this autumn – ideally, logistics businesses need an app or web-based system to be developed and tested that would enable biometric scanning to take place away from the border to reduce congestion and delay.
"It is vital that a workable solution for the UK’s borders with the EU is found to protect the nation’s supply chain, both in Kent and nationwide.
“In the meantime, government must urgently share its data analysis and scenario modelling with key strategic partners to enable them to coordinate their planning and response efforts and ensure they are sufficiently resourced to respond as needed.”
Published On: 25/07/2024 13:26:52
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