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Border ambitions fall well short of reality, says BIFA
[ May 20, 2024 // Chris Lewis ]Aspiring to create the most effective border in the world is worthy – as announced by the UK Government in December – but delivering it is a long way off said the British International Freight Association (BIFA) in its response to a National Audit Office report published on 20 May. 24
BIFA said that when the government announced its intentions to develop the world’s most effective border by 2025, “eyebrows were raised by many who manage supply chains”. Over the intervening period, BIFA has expressed its concerns about many of the issues that are now included in the NAO Report, as its members tried to overcome the practical difficulties associated with many of the new procedures.
Timetables for programmes have repeatedly changed and goal posts have moved, often to the dismay and cost of business, said BIFA. A particular point that it has made is the lack of detailed guidance issued by some Government departments, which has adversely affected trade flows.
BIFA says that as yet there are no clear policies beyond a Single Trade Window, use of which is voluntary, and currently offers nothing to any users handling more than a very small number of shipments.
It adds that the government needs to take on board the comments contained within the NAO report and provide clarity. It needs to include a realistic and workable schedule, allowing sufficient planning and implementation time to provide workable.
But meanwhile, n light of the comments made in the NAO’s report, it is not surprising that BIFA members are losing confidence in the government’s ability to deliver that clarity without which the UK’s international supply chains remain at risk.