Brexit: Transition, Status and Key Dates
The United Kingdom and the European Union have entered into a Brexit transition phase that currently keeps the UK within the EU Single Market and Custom´s Union. For Vrio customers that means that there will be no changes applied to current rules around:
*Customs and border processes for the import and export of goods.
*Community licences
*Vehicle insurance
*Driving licences
*Driver and transport manager certificates of profesional competence
*Tachograh legislation
*Passports and identity documents
*European health cards (EHIC)
*CMR notes
*EU VAT & Tax regime
Cabotage and cross trade rights and obligations under EU rules remain in place for all EU and UK operators as if the UK is still a member of the EU. Rules around the above list will change for road haulage movements from 1 January 2021 and Vrio will be working alongside industry partners to ensure that our customers are as well prepared as possible for any changes that arise from the furture relationship talks. Vrio CEO Anthony Renton warns “It is clear that some element of preparation by hauliers and traders in all the above areas will be needed during 2020. We will be working hard to ensure that our customers are informed of any such changes and when they can start to implement them asap.” Until more information is forthcoming from both the UK Government and the EU Commission about the shape of the future relationship, then no current changes are required to continue road haulage activity across the European continent.
The UK Road Haulage Association has compiled a very useful Action & Notes guide which we detail below:
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has made a statement on the UK Government’s future relationship negotiating stance with EU stating that “The announcement of the government’s negotiating mandate with the EU is missing elements relating to the logistics sector, the businesses charged with keeping Britain trading. Over recent months, FTA has made repeated requests of the UK government to prioritise the needs of logistics in its negotiations around the future trading relationship with the EU or risk a devastating effect on the UK’s highly interconnected supply chain. The business organisation has also warned of knock-on effects on UK PLC’s future productivity, and on the economy as a whole but these concerns seem to have been overlooked.
“Elements of the government’s approach do give us hope, for instance the commitment towards no tariffs and quotas and some degree of trade facilitation to help industry now that frictionless trade is no longer a political objective. FTA will continue to engage with Government to ensure that maximum use is made of these facilitations, both through the negotiations and at UK level. However, we would like to see more ambition for road, aviation and rail transport, to allow operators on both sides to continue serving UK-EU trade routes in a flexible way and to maintain levels of service for the sector’s customers in business and industry.”
As part of Vrio’s 2020 mobility strategy we are confident that our European product portfolio is already prepared for any changes provoked by the end of the Brexit transition phase and we are happy to discuss with you how we can help keep you moving in 2020 with fuel, toll, VAT & Diesel excise duty products as well as minimum wages in Europe including Holland and CMR pads.
