Forum Topic

UK fishermen halt exports to the EU

UK fishermen halt export to the EU as "catastrophic" Brexit bureaucracy renders business unviablehttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-fish-trade-uk-eu-lorries-exports-b1784312.html

Ivonne Holliday ● 1936d19 Comments

One small correction - five not four Paul Pogbas but I do take the point. The problems are not just “a bit of paperwork” it is the lack of preparation. Because that preparation on the govt side is hopelessly late and incomplete and on the hauliers/importers/exporters side impossible until the last minute because they didn’t get clear enough guidance from the govt. the buck stops with Brexit Supremo Gove. An unforeseen consequence is the need for extended certificates of origin for manufactured goods breaking down the share of non-EU components. The car industry may be across this but many other exporters are not. There is so much about Brexit that angers me but it surely is an insult to industry that govt has failed to prepare for the one major event they were voted in to complete.

Jonathan Callaway ● 1935d

Does anyone really think that the Government cares a t0ss about the UK fishing industry ?It is worth £437M to the UK economy.That's four Paul Pogbas or a tiny fraction of Harrods' contribution.It is sadly ironic that the fishing industry is finding life outside the EU a bit of a struggle.Aside from Johnson and Farage the main driving force for Brexit was Michael Gove.He was adopted by the owners of an Aberdeen fish processing business and he claimed that what he saw of the constraints imposed upon them by EU fishing directives formed the basis of his anti-EU feeling and start of his support for Brexit.I wonder how they feel now ?!

John Hawkes ● 1935d

Sue, don't worry about the haulage companies going bust, they'll just add the new costs to their charges so it will be us, the consumer, paying for it. As I've noted before, it's the SMEs trying to export who will be made - are being made - uncompetitive and who will be put out of business. Any rational government would have agreed to putting the deal in place folloiwing an extended transition period until the government's own IT systems and guidance were ready, and businesses had time to adapt. Doing a deal and the enacting it within three working days was unrealistic.

Michael Ixer ● 1935d

"They will have to learn or go bust."And, if they go bust, it will be down to good old British bureaucracy, not that nasty EU stuff, eh?

David Ainsworth ● 1935d

We've only been fully out for 9 days and already the doomsayers are saying it's a disaster because some haulage bosses haven't got their heads around a bit of extra paperwork or cannot manage to do it online.  Oh what a tragedy!😩 They will have to learn or go bust.  My instinct tells me they will learn how to use the appropriate software pdq.

Sue Hammond ● 1935d

We may never rejoin but the initial evidence suggests that the agreement isn’t working as planned. A haulage company owner was on the radio this morning saying the disruption will go on for months. My guess is that if that’s true then we will be back negotiating changes to the agreement to make UK/EU trade easier. That will require concessions from our side as the EU has no intention of compromising the principles of the Single Market. The SM was of course always seen as the greatest prize of EU membership.  So plenty more pain to come, unfortunately, before we see any tangible gains from Brexit.

Jonathan Callaway ● 1935d

@ rejoining the EU..  Wishful thinking on your part, much the same as a re-run referendum. So sad for you.

Barbara Shillabeer ● 1935d

Good point, Ed. Perhaps not. I was just trying to be optimist for the future - not sure if I'll really care in another decade or so ...

Michael Ixer ● 1935d

Michael you are making the assumption that we meet the EU conditions not to mention probably another referendum.stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU;the ability to take on and implement effectively the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/policy/conditions-membership_en

Ed Robinson ● 1935d

Or they could invest it in tofu manufacturing facilities? 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 1935d

"Boris has promised a £100 million funding package for our fish industry"And in return we get cheaper fish?

David Ainsworth ● 1935d

I wonder Sue why so much was spoken about fisheries for so long, virtually until the day before the agreement was signed?Not a peep about services (which represent some 88% of UK GDP), but fisheries certainly (which represent some 0.02% of GDP) was the bone of contention, even if you choose to deny it.

Ivonne Holliday ● 1935d

David, if they did that they wouldn't be UK businesses so would be able to fish in UK waters anymore ... 

Michael Ixer ● 1936d

I missed the smiley of that 🙂 

Michael Ixer ● 1936d

I'm tempted to borrow from Johnson's vocabulary and say F---- the fishermen, they got what they wanted.  What about all the other SMEs caught up in the bureaucracy and costs caused by this deal that they never asked for. The process might get smoother but some of the costs that make them less competitive will stay and they'll probably be out of business in six months time. Either Johnson lied or he's incredibly ignorant of how business works. The financial services industry will be OK in the end - they have the resources to absorb leaving the UK and their profit margins and capital will allow them to reengineer businesses - its the manufacturing companies and SMEs that will suffer, and ultimately their employees as they head for the dole queue - or do I mean the Universal Credit website ...We're trying to untangle overnight what took over four decades to put in place ... Perhaps within the decade things will be picking up and then we'll be rejoining the EU  because it's so much easier for trading, providing services to, etc with our immediate neighbours ..

Michael Ixer ● 1936d

The deal didn't 'hinge' on fish quotas Ivonne although it may have been  important enough to scupper it if Macron had not been put back in his box by Ma Merkel.  If you remember Boris has promised a £100 million funding package for our fish industry so there will be financial help while things settle down.  Regaining total control over our laws and borders plus freedom from the ECJ were much more important elements of the deal.

Sue Hammond ● 1936d

Well, ill-wind and all that. I expect that UK fish prices will drop now.Perhaps the UK fishermen could relocate to the other side of the Channel, like other businesses?

David Ainsworth ● 1936d

Sue,The deal with the EU hinged on fisheries, remember?And I have a vague idea that the deal signed meant there would be no trade barriers or tariffs....  Also, I do not think many of the fish exporters can afford to sell fresh fish (with very short "shelf" life)  with no profits for six months, can you?

Ivonne Holliday ● 1936d

Ms Schadenfreude is at it again lol. 😸 The new rules only started 8 days ago and it will obviously take time for businesses to get used to them.  Let's see if it's still a problem in 6 months time.

Sue Hammond ● 1936d