As Brexit negotiations start in earnest this week, it is essential that the UK Government and the European Union reach a comprehensive deal that addresses the many questions affecting the road transport industry.
Road transport is the lifeblood of Europe’s economy, with the fortunes of the markets in both the UK and the European Union highly dependent on trade between the two.
Key issues include customs facilitation tools such as TIR, customs procedures and duties, border crossing infrastructure, mutual recognition of documents and training, and weights and dimensions of vehicles.
If these issues are ignored, road freight transport between the UK and the European Union could face chaos at border crossings.
Marc Billiet, who leads IRU’s work on EU road freight transport, says, “The importance of having in place a functioning system of cross-border trade between the European Union and the UK cannot be overstated. If there is no agreement in place by the time the UK leaves the EU then we could easily see significant disruption at border crossing points.”
Failure to reach an agreement is not a viable solution for the road freight transport industry. No deal would strip away workable procedures and seriously compromise trade potential.
iru.org
