It was not Brexit but the new strain of the coronavirus, which is spreading like wildfire, which has ended up isolating the United Kingdom.

By deciding to cut all links - air, rail, sea - with Great Britain, the European continent has resulted in dozens of heavy goods vehicles being blocked at the port of Dover.

Road lorry traffic jams have stretched for weeks for miles around Dover on England's south coast as UK companies attempt to stockpile goods in anticipation of disruptions that could follow the end of the transition period post-Brexit on December 31.

>> To read: Covid-19: after Europe, many countries are closing their doors in the United Kingdom

Chaos exacerbated since Sunday by the announcement of the closure of the border with Great Britain by many countries, afraid of the spread on their soil of a new strain of very contagious coronavirus and deemed "out of control" by the UK authorities.

"We had to find a company in France to collect my trailer"

Result: trucks as far as the eye can see while waiting for traffic to resume.

The French unions denounce "inhuman conditions" for these truck drivers forced to resourcefulness.

Among them, Damien Doherty arrived from Ireland with crustaceans bound for Boulogne-sur-Mer, in France.

He could not embark but his cargo was able to be transported.

"We had to find a company in France to pick up my trailer and cross the Channel," said this truck driver to France 24. It was not easy. Then we had to make sure that our customers were still at the factory. to unload the cargo. We are not yet 100% sure that everything is in order. "

>> To read: Mutation of the Covid-19: "For now, nothing indicates that the disease would be more serious"

The European Union must try, Tuesday, December 22, to harmonize the measures put in place by its member states to prevent the variant of the coronavirus detected in the United Kingdom from spreading.

The objective is "a reopening of the borders in a coordinated manner", indicated Monday a European diplomatic source, and in particular to allow the "targeted returns" of travelers and truck drivers who found themselves blocked by the brutally implemented measures since this weekend.

With AFP

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