Future border strategy needs urgency to help reduce friction, says Logistics UK

Thursday 27 August 2020

In response to the government’s consultation on its 2025 UK Border Strategy, which closes this week (28 August 2020), Sarah Laouadi, Manager of European & International Policy at Logistics UK, comments:

“While we welcome the strategic objectives of the strategy, logistics operators need to see greater ambition in the timeframe of the government’s 2025 UK Border Strategy. The concepts of upstream compliance, e-documents and single window to avoid duplication of data submission are particularly important to support trade but our members want the proposed changes brought forward as soon as possible to minimise friction at the border. The quicker the changes are implemented, the sooner the UK can benefit from a joined-up approach – and we believe this must be before 2025.

“We are also calling on the UK government to refresh the strategy during 2021 to account for the changes that will take place following the end of the EU Exit transition period. UK  borders, particularly used for Roll On, Roll Off (RoRo) traffic, will change dramatically as the EU Exit transition period comes to an end, and  taking stock of how it changes will be crucial to refine the longer-term border strategy and ensure that trade continues to flow freely to and from the EU.

“Finally, we are also urging government to carry out a “red tape review” to minimise burdens on business. For example, removing the requirement to complete Intrastat declarations (a statistics database for EU members) after the transition period ends.

“We will be pressing government to ensure the strategy delivers the best outcome for logistics, consumers, and the wider UK economy alike.”

Logistics UK (formerly FTA) is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods