London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 27, 2025

Risk of further Brexit disruption to trade, say MPs

Risk of further Brexit disruption to trade, say MPs

There could be further disruption to trade with the EU this year if more is not done to improve post-Brexit border arrangements, MPs have warned.

The cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the main impact of Brexit on UK firms had been "increased costs, paperwork and border delays".

But it said things could worsen this year as new import controls come in.

The government said it continued to ensure businesses "got the support they need to trade effectively with Europe".

It comes as Jacob Rees-Mogg has been appointed minister for Brexit opportunities as part of a cabinet reshuffle. The prominent Leave campaigner will look at which EU rules may be scrapped now the UK has left the bloc.

In its report, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said it was concerned about what will happen when passenger traffic across the UK border returns to normal levels as the pandemic subsides.

And it described government plans to create the most effective border in the world by 2025 as "optimistic, given where things stand today".

The report says trade volumes have been suppressed by the impact of Covid-19, and wider global pressures in supply chains, since the UK left the EU customs union and single market.


But it is clear, the report adds, that leaving the EU also had an impact by increasing the bureaucratic burden on businesses.

"One of the great promises of Brexit was freeing British businesses to give them the headroom to maximise their productivity and contribution to the economy - even more desperately needed now on the long road to recovery from the pandemic," said PAC chair Meg Hillier.

"Yet the only detectable impact so far is increased costs, paperwork and border delays."

Container lorries queuing at the Port of Dover


The report says there is potential for further disruption during the course of this year as more people start travelling again, and passenger volumes at key ports like Dover increase.

New border systems have yet to be tested with traffic back at what were normal levels, before the pandemic struck.

There is also a significant risk of more delays later this year when the EU introduces biometric passport controls under its new Entry and Exit System.

The Cabinet Office told the PAC that discussions are underway with French officials about how this might work in practice at busy ports like Dover, where - says the report - "it is important that checks that apply to HGV drivers do not delay the throughput of lorries".

Checks on food


Another big test identified by the committee will be the phased introduction of controls on imports into the UK, which began on 1 January.

Physical checks on the import of food products are due to begin in July, and the British Port Authority told the PAC it needs greater clarity about the precise arrangements, including the percentage of products which will be checked.

The MPs also raised concern about the potential for smuggling before new border infrastructure is completed close to Dover.

Lorries arriving at the port will have to travel 60 miles to Ebbsfleet, if their consignments need to be physically checked by customs officers. That increases the risk, the committee warns, that goods could be offloaded on the way.

HM Revenue and Customs has said it will look at what surveillance might be necessary to manage that risk.

'More transparency'


But there is a lot more the committee wants done. And it is calling for more transparency from government about the problems businesses are facing.

Meg Hillier says the PAC has repeatedly reported on Brexit preparedness, and there have been delays to promised deadlines at every stage.

"It's time the government was honest about the problems rather than overpromising," she said.

In particular, the PAC wants the government to do more to help small firms prepare for the extra burdens they are having to deal with, and to consider further support.

It says only £6.7m of the £20m offered under the SME Brexit Support Fund was paid out, because narrowly defined criteria meant many businesses missed out on funding.

It also urges the government to write to the committee, within six months, setting out the timetable for its planned programme of work on the "noteworthy ambition" to create the world's most effective border by 2025.

A government spokeswoman said: "Traders have adapted well to the introduction of full customs controls on 1 January, with minimal disruption at the border and inbound freight flowing effectively through ports.

"We are continuing to ensure that businesses get the support they need to trade effectively with Europe and seize new opportunities as we strike trade deals with the world's fastest growing markets, including one-to-one advice through the free-to-use Export Support Service."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
×