Red tape harming trade with Europe, RHA warns MPs

A committee of MPs has heard from the Road Haulage Association (RHA) that trade between the UK and European Union remains hampered by red tape that is putting businesses at risk.

The House of Commons business and trade select committee heard evidence from the RHA’s policy lead for trade, Alastair Gunn, yesterday, as well as Toby Ovens, the owner and managing director of fleet operator Broughton Transport Solutions.

According to RHA managing director Richard Smith, the session – which formed part of an inquiry by the committee into UK trade – provided the association with an opportunity to raise long-held concerns on processes that were hampering the operations of its membership.

“Increased bureaucracy and in-built customs delays hit supply chains on both sides of the Channel and the Irish Sea, making it harder for businesses to trade,” said Mr Smith.

“We’re seeing hauliers go out of business while others shift away from the EU market; some are even looking at ways to open premises in the EU. All of this of course hits the wider economy.”

The RHA also used the session to broach the topic of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which when fully implemented will enable the bloc more easily to keep track of time British citizens spend within the Schengen area, and how this will impact on both UK international hauliers and coach operators working on the continent.

“The 90/180 rule [which penalises British citizens for spending more than 90 of the last 180 days within Schengen] will be more rigorously enforced, reducing the number of drivers available to do this work – and it’s why we’re calling for a professional drivers’ exemption,” warned Mr Smith.

MPs attending the session were also seeking information about the movement of goods into Northern Ireland, and how businesses based in Great Britain are shipping into Republic of Ireland ports rather than into Belfast.

Mr Smith said the Irish border was now widely seen as one of the world’s most complex trade frontiers.

“We repeated our calls for a Trusted Haulier Scheme and moving determination of ‘at risk’ goods to the point of sale, away from the border,” he said.

Mr Smith concluded: “We’re committed to continuing our dialogues with government, parliament, operators and stakeholders to work on solutions to reduce trade frictions to benefit the economy.

“And I’d like to thank the business and trade committee for giving us and our members the opportunity to offer evidence and we look forward to doing so again.”