Post-Brexit border controls slammed as ‘chaotic’ as system charges customers for checks that never took place

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A post-Brexit border control system has caused a string of errors with businesses mistakenly charged for goods checks that never took place, customs agents say.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has come under fire after angry businesses experienced errors with the “chaotic” customs system.

During an online meeting on Tuesday, government officials were told a consignment was not unloaded at a government-run border inspection facility at Sevington in Kent because of a design flaw in the inspection bay.

But the shipment owner was still charged for the inspection despite never happening, a customs agent complained.

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Defra officials also heard how others paid for physical checks but their shipments were cleared electronically.

Customs agent Steve Habbershaw in Dover claimed had was charged after most of his consignments had been automatically cleared without checks.

He said: “The border situation at Sevington currently is rather chaotic,” calling for the revenue from the charge to “be spent to improve” the system.

During pre-Brexit era rules, businesses previously operated without these additional checks and paperwork.

Goods coming from the UK into the EU are now subject to full border controls since January 2021, including export health certificates (EHC) for animal products which must have a veterinarian check to ensure compliance with EU standards.

Added costs on food exports have sparked calls on the government to forge a veterinary deal with the EU in a bid to reduce need for inspections and paperwork on plant and animal exports.

Labour pledged that Sir Keir Starmer would seek a UK-EU veterinary agreement “to prevent unnecessary border checks” with Brussels talks due to begin next year.

The head of trade policy at the British Chambers of Commerce insisted a deal was essential to prevent businesses from charging consumers higher prices to mitigate the extra costs.

William Bain told the Financial Times: “We would urge the government to work with business to find ways to mitigate this impact.”

Trade groups also warned the new checks have incurred higher food prices and reduced margins for importers for foods entering Dover.

The Common User Charge (CUC) was brought into play in April for goods arriving via the Eurotunnel.

Although the Tories capped charges at £145 per consignment, businesses argued the charges can spiral as many import multiple products in a single load.

British importer of Hungarian foods HunPro explained how it had to increase its staffing to cope with the amount of paperwork from the new control checks.

“It’s just a huge extra expense for nothing,” said managing director Fulop Illes.

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Policy director Sally Cullimore of the Horticultural Trades Association, which represents the UK’s plant nursery industry, said one small business member was hit with a £27,000 bill for the first three months of border checks.

“That represents around 7 per cent of this company’s profits, which is significant when you consider this is an entirely new cost that delivers little or no benefit to the business,” she said. 

A government spokesperson said: “This government is committed to seeking a veterinary agreement that will prevent unnecessary border checks, get our great food exports moving again and tackle the cost of food.

“Risk-based checks on certain imports are essential to protect our national biosecurity and prevent an outbreak of disease that would severely damage our food supply, the environment and future trade. This includes checks on products coming into the country through the short straits, one of the busiest trade routes between the UK and EU.

“The common user charge supports these vital checks by paying the operating costs of the Border Control Post at Sevington, helping to protect our biosecurity and trading routes by ensuring that we only import safe, high-quality products.”