London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Apr 26, 2025

A glitch and new red tape leave UK exporters facing EU border disruption

A glitch and new red tape leave UK exporters facing EU border disruption

One of the issues is said, by HMRC, to have been fixed but the other is threatening to pile French red tape on exporters of certain goods.

Hauliers exporting goods to the European Union have faced fresh disruption since the turn of the year as a glitch in the UK's digital customs system and new demands from French authorities threaten delays.

Drivers heading to ports in the first few days of January found they were unable to enter details of shipments in the government's Goods Vehicle Management System (GVMS) because it did not recognise the change in year to '2023'.

Hauliers exporting canned foods to the EU via France meanwhile face new demands that paperwork be presented only translated into French, leading to dismay among trade groups at the lack of certainty around border controls two years after Brexit.

The GVMS was introduced in 2020 to coordinate post-Brexit exports to the EU by linking vehicles to customs declarations required since the UK left the EU.

The system requires each shipment to enter a unique Movement Reference Number, which begins with a prefix code containing the year and the country of origin.

Exporters, hauliers and customs agents trying to ship goods on routes between the UK and Holland in the first two days of the year found the system would not accept the new prefix '23GB'.

Instead of a smooth automated process through the border, they were required to drive to inland border facilities to get oral confirmation from Border Force officials, and have documentation hand-stamped.

HM Revenue and Customs, which manages GVMS, confirmed there had been a problem with the system but said disruption was "minimal".

An HMRC spokesperson said: "We experienced technical difficulties with the GVMS for a short period on Monday and it is now fixed.

"A few traders were sent to our Inland Border Facilities, where we worked closely with them to ensure they reached their destination as quickly as possible. We apologise for any disruption caused."

In a separate challenge for British exporters, the French authorities have begun demanding that some paperwork for food exports, known as attestations, be provided only in French and threatening to refuse goods that do not comply.


French authorities are making new demands of some UK exporters

The new rules, unilaterally announced with just three days' notice on 28th December ahead of planned introduction on 1 January, require paperwork for "shelf-stable composite goods" - tinned goods, sweets and similar - to be provided in French only.

In communication sent to the UK authorities the French Veterinary and Phytosanitary Inspection Service (SIVEP) said: "As English is not the official language of SIVEP border control posts, this leads to difficulties in understanding and may lead to errors of assessment of the validity of the documents presented.

"Therefore, in order to facilitate the control of the attestations by SIVEP agents, you will have to provide a private attestation in French as from the 1st of January 2023.

"Otherwise, all shipments accompanied by a private attestation written in a foreign language after this date will be blocked at the border control post."

Following a negotiation with the French, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has negotiated a delay to the new rules until 15 January, but they cannot be prevented as they are an interpretation of rules covered by the Brexit deal.

Shane Brennan, chief executive of the Cold Chain Federation, told Sky News the changes to rules will undermine exporter confidence.

"Two years past Brexit and we now live with the reality that the way the rules are interpreted can change from one day to the next.

"It leaves us with an ongoing unease that undermines confidence and prevents businesses from seeking out new customers, making investments, or settling into new long term business structures."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Alberta's Push for Independence Raises Questions About Canada's National Unity
Virginia Giuffre, Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein accuser, dies by suicide
"China has survived for five thousand years, most of it without the United States as a market, and it can easily continue to survive without the U.S. market for another five thousand years — no problem," said a China analyst.
Elites vs. America: How Democrats Lost the Plot and the People
Pam Bondi Details Wisconsin Judge’s Actions Before Arrest: 'Can't Make This Up'
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Peter Navarro: The Man Behind Trump’s Tariff Madness
Milwaukee Judge Arrested on Allegations of Aiding Undocumented Immigrant’s Escape
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Trump administration moves to BAN essentially ALL artificial food dyes in the USA food supply at RFK Jr.'s direction
Woman slaps man at sports game and gets herself and husband beat up
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
China do not pay these tariffs - you pay it. This is new 145% tax you pay to the US government.
Nightlife in the streets of Manchester
In God We Profit
Cultural Battles in the Vatican: The Candidates in the Battle for the Holy See and Pope Francis's Testament
Global Leaders Pay Tribute to Pope Francis Following His Death
Wild Chimpanzees Observed Bonding Over Alcoholic Fruit
US Federal Reserve Chair Issues Warning on Tariff Impact
UK Prison Officers Demand Electric Stun Guns Amid Safety Concerns
China, China, China!
Australian National Charged as Mercenary for Fighting in Ukraine
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Prince Andrew Joins Royal Family Attends Easter Sunday Service at Windsor Castle
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
Trump is assembling a coalition of Western leaders aligned with the MAGA vision, strengthening a unified front for global change
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Here’s a police officer with a brilliant gift for swift education
"Some complain that we put thousands in prison. In reality, we set millions free."
This is Vienna, Austria in 2025.
Boeing Jet Returns to US from China Amid Tariff War
Canadian Federal Election: Candidates' Positions on US-Canada Relations and Donald Trump
Resentencing Hearing for Menendez Brothers Who Killed Their Parents Delayed Amid Legal Disputes
Australian Woman Gives Birth To Stranger's Baby In IVF Mix-up
US Sets Deadline for Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal Brokerage
Italy Introduces 'Sex Rooms' in Prisons for Inmates
California Launches Legal Challenge Against Trump Administration's Tariffs
"Groundless": China Dismisses Zelensky's Claims It's Supplying Arms To Russia
UK Psytrance Festival Cancelled Amid Local Protests Over Noise Concerns
French Far-Right Writer Renaud Camus Denied Entry to UK
UK Police Force Updates Search Policy for Trans Individuals in Custody
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Meets with Donald Trump to Discuss EU-US Trade Tensions
Canada's Federal Party Leaders Engage in Final Debate Ahead of General Election
Ukraine and US Sign Outline of Minerals Deal
Fast Food Chain Refuses to Apologize for Online Comment About Katy Perry's Space Voyage
New York Attorney General Letitia James Faces Criminal Referral for Alleged Mortgage Fraud
Mark Cuban admits support for Trump executive order: ‘Gotta be honest’
US Senator Meets with Deported Immigrant in El Salvador Amid Custody Dispute
×