FIRMS moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland continue to seek clarity on the practical workings of the Windsor Framework, implemented on 30 September.
It transpires that operators are still unclear how the customs red and green lanes will work in many scenarios, including ‘groupage’ – lorries with products from multiple suppliers, or for a number of destinations.
The RHA has facilitated communication between members and government agencies, however there are still areas where greater clarity is needed, while labelling of goods, processes for movements of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) products such as animal and plant-based goods remain unclear. This includes health certificates.
Possible exemptions are for firms guaranteeing they won’t sell domestic market products into the EU – in this case goods destined for Northern Ireland won’t be sold into the Republic of Ireland, or elsewhere in the EU. For firms with a minimum £2m turnover, clarity is required that they’ll be able to use the green lane for goods ‘not at risk’.
John Martin, RHA Northern Ireland policy lead said that businesses need guidance on how the new processes are going to work amid concerns that a lack of clarity will cause delays and make Northern Ireland’s economy less competitive.
Copyright © 2020 Transport News