Neil Moors wrote:Am I right (and we may have had this discussion before) that it is now the case that UK exporters to the EU must do these checks - with associated costs, but EU companies importing to the UK do not? This on the face of it puts UK companies at a significant disadvantage.
I agree with Button. UK exporters to the EU must ensure that their SPS standards and origination criteria meet the single market and customs union requirements. Otherwise they will be rejected at point of entry. There is a wonderful SME just outside Canterbury that makes guitars with a global reputation. Prior to Brexit they exported their instruments all over the EU without complication and at minimal cost. Now they face a new paperwork overhead that detracts from the bottom line of profitability.
If you're interested in how the agricultural sector sees the situation, I would recommend listening to the excellent Minette Batters (Farming Today this morning) to understand how our producers are being put at a huge competitive disadvantage by what is essentially our failure to comply with those WTO rules so beloved of Brexiteers. Also, of course, there is the whole issue of biosecurity post Covid. This government is hell bent on trade deals which will allow entry of unchecked commodities unless the situation changes.
Finally (sorry, Button) don't think that everything that reaches our shores from the EU single market emanates from the single market. It doesn't. The principle of 'consignor and consignee' is vital to all data flowing into HMRC's systems. A lot of goods enter the single market from outside with a final UK destination. This flow is now outside our control until such a time as we put in place adequate checks.
And there is nothing to stop unscrupulous traders within the EU taking advantage of that situation too. Business, like nature, abhors a vacuum.