Posters and adverts aren’t enough to prepare business for Brexit, says BCC
Businesses still don’t have enough information available on Brexit in critical areas with just 24 days to go until the end of the transition period, an industry body has warned.
The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has warned that the government’s Brexit guidance remains insufficient in a number of key areas.
Its Brexit guidance dashboard still has 24 of 35 key questions flashing amber or red, reflecting fundamental aspects of business operations including customs checks.
The BCC last evaluated Brexit guidance in September and since then just two areas have been upgraded to green – duty deferment accounts and the paperwork needed to import under a Generalised System of Preferences programme.
The dashboard has just 11 areas in green, 19 in amber and five in red.
“With just weeks to go, businesses need answers, and they need them now. Posters and television adverts are no substitute for the clear, detailed and actionable information businesses require to prepare for the end of transition,” said BCC director general Adam Marshall.
Among its recommendations the BCC has called for a temporary waiver of the £300 fine for hauliers arriving at the border due to “genuine” errors in documentation. Additionally it is calling for a mandatory grace period for companies who have “inadvertently shared personal data unlawfully between the UK and the EU”.
Talks between the two sides are now down to the wire, with reports suggesting there has been a breakthrough over the weekend.
The UK’s chief negotiator, David Frost, will continue talks with his EU counterpart Michel Barnier today, while the PM will speak to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
“If a breakthrough happens over the coming hours and days, the two sides must immediately set to work on pragmatic steps to smooth the introduction of the new arrangements from January, including easements for genuine administrative errors, clear procedures at ports, and fast help from customs authorities,” Marshall added.