Department store giant John Lewis has said it s preparing to resume deliveries to Northern Ireland following new guidance on sending consumer parcels here.
But a body representing hauliers warned of trepidation about the new era in the transport of commercial goods between Great Britain and NI.
Last night at 11pm marked the start of a new regime for trade from GB into NI, at the end of transition period following the UK s exit from the European Union.
Under the NI Protocol, Northern Ireland effectively remains in the EU single market for goods, and while still part of the UK customs union, will enforce EU customs rules. The changes mean checks and paperwork, including customs declarations for commercial goods coming into NI ports from GB.
Leaving the European Union’s trading arrangements offers the chance to “transform our country”, Boris Johnson has claimed as UK businesses acclimatised to new Brexit border requirements.
There was little sign of disruption at the border as freight travelled to France and Ireland on a quiet bank holiday after the new arrangements came in at 11pm on New Year’s Eve.
But, according to Logistics UK, close to half the lorries entering Belfast on the first ferry of the day from Great Britain on Friday were called in for inspection as part of new Brexit rules, with one truck stopped in the port for at least three hours as “teething problems” arose.
The first freight checks required under the terms of Brexit’s economic sea border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland have taken place.
The end of the transition period late on New Year’s Eve brought into force the contentious Northern Ireland Protocol, which sees the region operate under different regulatory and customs arrangements to the rest of the UK.
Northern Ireland is remaining in the single market for goods and is applying EU customs rules at its ports.
Customs declarations and additional regulatory checks are now required on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Trade in the other direction remains largely unfettered.
Logistics UK urges UK GOV to review HGV traffic management
Business group Logistics UK has written to the government to request an urgent review of traffic management and welfare arrangements for HGV drivers in the wake of chaos experienced when France closed its borders to traffic for two days over the Christmas period.
In a letter to transport minister Lord Agnew, Logistics UK has pointed to shortcomings in the government’s plans in the event of border disruption, which led to chaos on roads in Kent and left thousands of drivers stranded without access to basic hygiene and food provision facilities. And as Elizabeth de Jong, Policy Director at Logistics UK, says, with the end of the Brexit transition period fast approaching, it is vital that arrangements are fast tracked so that any drivers facing similar delays when new customs procedures are introduced are able to access the facilities they need.
Leaving the European Union’s trading arrangements offers the chance to “transform our country”, Boris Johnson has claimed as UK businesses acclimatised to new Brexit border requirements.
There was little sign of disruption at the border as freight travelled to France and Ireland on a quiet bank holiday after the new arrangements came in at 11pm on New Year’s Eve.
But, according to Logistics UK, close to half the lorries entering Belfast on the first ferry of the day from Great Britain on Friday were called in for inspection as part of new Brexit rules, with one truck stopped in the port for at least three hours as “teething problems” arose.