The exporters from British Ports Association (BPA) staged demonstrations outside Government departments in Central London to highlight their difficulties
The British Ports Association (BPA) has called on the United Kingdom (U.K.) Government to begin an urgent discussion with France to reduce Brexit-related bureaucracy, which is creating hurdles in exporting fish to the European Union (E.U.).
The exporters staged demonstrations outside Government departments in Central London to highlight their difficulties. Extra paperwork has made it difficult for them to deliver fresh produce to mainland Europe before it goes off. They have warned that if the situation continues, jobs could soon be at risk.
Scottish fishing businesses also joined the demonstrations over how Brexit disrupted their exports by driving more than 20 lorries through Central London bearing the slogan, “Incompetent Government: destroying shellfish industry!”
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Scotland Food & Drink – James Withers has called for a lighter-touch approach to border controls.
Speaking on the occasion, Withers said, “The UK government has already paused checks on E.U. imports until July 2021 and we need the same for goods going in the opposite direction, into the E.U.”
However, the Prime Minister of U.K. – Boris Johnson has said that exporters would be compensated for the losses as it is not their fault. He has announced a £ 23 million compensation fund to help the affected exporters.
Asking exporters to put down the teething problems, Johnson said that there are great opportunities for Britain’s fishing industry.
Referring to exporter’s issue, Johnson said, “In so far as there are problems at the moment, caused by teething problems, people not filling in the right forms or misunderstandings, and when it’s not people’s fault, of course we’re going to compensate and to help out.”
He further added, “I understand their frustrations and I understand their concerns and obviously things have been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. Unfortunately, the demand in restaurants on the continent for UK fish has not been what it was before the pandemic.”
The BPA has also written a letter to the Minister for the Cabinet Office – Michael Gove, requesting for the Government’s immediate attention to their growing worries. Apart from the cumbersome paperwork, they have also raised several other issues in their letter.
The earlier practice of sending fish direct to the E.U. in open plastic crates has now been rejected by the E.U. The E.U. now wants the produce to be placed in sealed polystyrene boxes at significant extra cost. This is hurting the fishing businesses.
The BPA wrote in the letter, “We urge you to hold] urgent discussions with your counterparts in the EU, particularly France, about a pragmatic approach to enforcement.”
The BPA wants an urgent improvement in the guidance offered by U.K. Government to seafood exporters and consideration of direct temporary Government support to traders. They want urgent provision of more and trained Environmental Health Officers at all required ports. They want Government to hold discussions with E.U. counterparts, particularly France, about a pragmatic approach to enforcement.
Meanwhile, several French Government officials have expressed surprise over the lack of preparedness on the British side.
