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Haulage permit deadline is this Friday
[ January 14, 2019 // Chris ]The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is urging commercial vehicle operators to urgently submit applications for international road haulage permits urgently, applications for which close on Friday 18 January. It says that with No Deal exit from the European Union a very real possibility operators will need ECMT (European Conference of Ministers of Transport) permits to transport goods to the European Union (EU) and EEA (European Economic Area) if the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 29 March 2019.
European Policy Manager, Sarah Laouadi, added however: “The number of ECMT permits available to British operators is painfully short of the required total; it is likely to cover only 5% of the current vehicle journeys made between the UK and EU.”
FTA has prepared a list of emergency “mini-deals” and contingency measures, covering areas including truck permits, aviation and VAT, which it will demand the UK government prioritises with Brussels urgently to limit the disruption of a No Deal scenario.
Laouadi Adds: “The European Commission has already tabled a proposal whereby UK hauliers could carry out certain transport operations in the EU on the basis of mutual recognition of the Community Licence; however, this arrangement would not cover cabotage or transport between two EU countries and comes with many other restrictions and caveats. FTA will seek to ensure the proposal is improved to meet the needs of the industry. In the meantime, operators should nevertheless apply for ECMT permits as there is no guarantee there will be a workable alternative in time for Brexit day.”
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ecmt-international-road-haulage-permits