June has come and gone, and despite our worthiest efforts—writing letters or sending emails to our MPs—Her Majesty’s so-called Government has ensured that there will be no extension to the “implementation” or “transition” period. To all intents and purposes this guarantees that from the first of 2021 the United Kingdom will have no trade agreement of any kind with anyone, anywhere on earth.
In case you are wondering how this can be the case, the answer is simple: every trade agreement in which we have hitherto participated since 1973 has been via our membership of the European Union. By withdrawing from the EU, we have withdrawn from every one of those agreements; so far as negotiation of new agreements with the rest of the world is concerned, we are not even on the starting grid. Granted that there has been talk of starting negotiations with Australia, but so far as I am aware, nothing has so far taken place.
Let’s face it: six months is hardly enough time to do anything of any real consequence, let alone negotiate a whole bundle of separate trade deals with disparate nations around the globe, deals which, with the best will in the world, would generally take five to ten years to complete. The significance for us in Kent is immense, essentially because Kent straddles the two most important routes to and from the Continent, M2 and M20. While the greater proportion of freight traffic is carried on M20, a not-insignificant amount also uses M2. “Aye, there’s the rub!”
For at the end of these motorways there are cross-Channel terminals: Eurotunnel near Folkestone, and the Port of Dover. At present, and until the end of 2020, we can board a shuttle or a ferry with our lorry load of goods, with nothing more than a cheery wave, and disembark at the other end with another wave, no matter the direction in which we’re traveling. Come 1 January 2021, and not a single freight vehicle will be allowed to board without first clearing all export/import requirements. The result? Long tails of traffic stretching into the hinterland in both directions; introduction of “Operation Brock” in Kent, with the subsequent slowing down of traffic, shifting a great deal onto M2 and then, because M2 is blocked for whatever reason, Along A2 through the Medway Towns and beyond.
In vain does HMG believe that they can simply wave incoming trade through Customs, without inspecting documentation at the point of entry. We shall, as a “third nation” be trading under World Trade Organization rules. These categorically forbid any such behaviour unless it extends to every trading partner. No payment of duties by any importer; no requirement to observe quality control by any importer; and absolutely no chance that our nearest and largest trading neighbour will even consider extending the same privilege to us.
Brexit, anybody?
Nico
European Movement Mid Kent 