Brexit: UK road hauliers sound the alarm
A truck enters the Channel Port at Dover, in the south-east of England, January 15, 2021. REUTERS - JOHN SIBLEY
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In the UK, road hauliers are sounding the alarm bells.
According to them, exports to the European Union are plummeting: less 68% in January, compared to the previous year.
This sharp reduction is due to the new customs procedures which lead to additional costs and delays.
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With our correspondent in London,
Maxence Peigné
We have known the trend since the start of the year.
In the UK, almost all exporters are complaining about a drop in activity following the entry into force of the
Brexit trade deal
.
This trend now has a figure: 68%.
It is the drop in exports from British ports to Europe, according to the national association of road transport operators.
The latter even estimates that up to 75% of trucks from the continent leave empty.
For its part, the government of Boris Johnson was quick to react to sweep the figure of 68%, saying that the disruption so far has been minimal.
However, the Association of British Ports has confirmed the estimate of road hauliers, which it considers "
broadly in line
" with what it observed.
It must be said that certain sectors have been particularly affected by the changes in procedure.
In January, meat exports to the EU were at a quarter of their level of last year according to producers, and Scottish fishermen estimate they have lost more than € 1 million a day in 2021.
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To read also: Brexit: what changes (or not) for trade on January 1
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