The Financial Times raises fears there could be border disruption next week, saying hauliers have been warned to expect tougher French customs controls from Monday.
UK trade groups and Whitehall officials have been told checks this week showed nearly all lorries arriving from the UK were not meeting post-Brexit rules. But the French insist there are no plans to step up controls.
The Telegraph suggests the post-Brexit red tape is causing Cornish fishermen to leave their catches to rot. Their goods need to be inspected by an approved vet of which there are not enough. One vet tells the paper that "it's been absolutely ridiculous."
DPD stops delivering UK parcels to EU due to Brexit
Parcel courier DPD has announced that is it suspending its road delivery services to Europe, including to Ireland due to Brexit.
The firm said that “complex” Brexit procedures are causing issues as a fifth of parcels are now being sent with "incorrect or incomplete" data, meaning they need to be returned.
“The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement resulted in more complex processes, and additional customs data requirements for parcels destined for Europe,” DPD said in a statement.
“This, along with delays and congestion at UK ports for channel crossings, has placed extra pressure on our turnaround and transit times.
“We are seeing up to 20% of parcels with incorrect or incomplete data attached, resulting in these parcels needing to be returned to customers, so that the required data can be provided.
System for getting supplies to Northern Ireland may be five days from collapset due to Irish Sea border, hauliers warn Michael Gove
An 11-page report sent to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, which has been seen by the News Letter, presents the grim prospect of “a collapse of the NI supply chain” within five days if ministers fail to act urgently.
The development comes as a second major supermarket, Marks & Spencer, begins to withdraw hundreds of items from sale in Northern Ireland. M&S, which remained in Northern throughout the Troubles, said that it was committed to remaining in the province and the move was because of the complexity of the new requirement to make customs declarations when any goods are ‘imported’ to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.
Yesterday Mr Gove warned that the Irish Sea border problem “will get worse before it gets better” but insisted that “work is ongoing” and it is “all part of the process of leaving the European Union”.
Another company said: “The whole thing is a disaster to be honest. It is currently easier to ship a container to China than a trailer from Cairnryan to Larne.”
British expats in the EU face financial headaches as European banks hike international payment fees and British ones close their accounts
Customers of some of Britain's biggest banks living in Belgium, Italy (pictured) and the Netherlands have either had their accounts closed or will see them shuttered in the next few weeks.
DUP may think their role in this disaster will blow over but it won’t
This is the inevitable result of Michael Gove’s agreement with Brussels on the handling of the NI Protocol and a warning for the future as to what we can expect now that Brussels is able to determine the regulatory environment for much of our economic activity, and be able to impose EU state aid rules over NI business.
Neither London nor Stormont will have a say or control over this. We will be regulated without representation.
This is a truly awful state of affairs.
As Northern Ireland enters its centenary year, we are entitled to ask how did we get to this limbo land where we are ruled in large measure by the EU while the rest of our country is operating under totally different circumstances?
How could this have been allowed to happen?’
In the weeks before Christmas I put forward what I believed to be some of the answers. I set out how, as a result of the prime minister’s Brexit negotiations, he put forward a UK proposal to the EU on amending the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland that had been negotiated by the Theresa May administration.
His document was entitled ‘Explanatory Note’ and was dated October 2 2019.
It included: proposals for a regulatory border in the Irish Sea; the establishment of Border Inspection Posts; inclusion of all manufactured goods as well as agricultural produce to be subject to EU rules, including state aid rules and consequently an ongoing role for the European Court in Northern Ireland’s affairs.
Crucially, no such rules or European Court involvement would apply to Great Britain.
I pointed out that immediately this document was released, Arlene Foster and her DUP colleagues endorsed these proposals, describing them as “a serious and sensible way forward”.
Lord Dodds didn’t like what I was saying and accused me of telling lies. I offered on radio to withdraw my claims and apologise if my statement had been factually incorrect.
Needless to say, I have received no evidence that I was factually incorrect. So, at the risk of annoying Nigel and his colleagues once more, I say again that on October 2 2019 the DUP endorsed a regulatory border in the Irish Sea, with all the add-ons of Border Inspection posts etc.
As a result of this decision, Boris Johnson was able to go to Brussels and Dublin and claim that he had unionist consent for his plan.
This point was backed up by evidence given to a House of Commons Committee on October 30 2019 by ex No 10 adviser Raoul Ruparel who suggested that the DUP decision was a significant change from their previous opposition to a regulatory border in the Irish Sea. Indeed, Mr Ruparel was very conservative in his language. Mrs Foster had described the DUP’s opposition to such a border as ‘a blood red line’.
So, why the volte-face? Lord Dodds claimed that in Mr Johnson’s paper the executive and assembly would need to consent and therefore they (the DUP) had a veto.
This is the bit I don’t understand. Firstly, in October 2019 there was no functioning assembly, therefore no veto could have been exercised.
Second, if the DUP were to have a veto, by definition, so would Sinn Fein. Is it credible to imagine that faced with handing a veto to the DUP over Brexit, SF, in the run up to an Irish election would go back into Stormont and face the wrath of southern voters?
Thirdly, did the DUP seriously believe that Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, President Macron of France or Taoiseach Leo Varadkar would hand a veto over the operation of the EU single market to the DUP in Belfast? It’s nonsense. It was never going to happen.
Apart from the Alice in Wonderland thinking behind the veto proposal, which by October 17 2019 was removed entirely from the final agreement with the EU, why would any unionist endorse a document which proposed a border between two parts of the UK, veto or no veto?
The real veto the DUP had in October 2019 was to refuse to consent to Boris Johnson’s document and withdraw support from his government, which at that time was reliant on their support in parliament. They failed to do so.
I have tried and failed to find a rational argument in favour of their decision. It was a huge, costly strategic mistake.
Nigel’s response to me was typical bluster which one can easily dismiss, but the damage all of this has done to Northern Ireland and to the Union has yet to be fully calculated.
Border posts are now being installed in most NI ports, £750m is being allocated to help business cope with the paperwork and other regulatory requirements of being at an international border between the EU and a third country, which is what Great Britain became on January 1.
In normal circumstances, a party which presided over such a strategic and political disaster might be expected to express some regrets over what happened. So far, there has not been a sliver of regret expressed, never mind an apology to the people of Northern Ireland for allowing them to be annexed by a foreign power, which is what the EU became on January 1.
Some DUP leaders may think that this will all blow over and they can move on. It is not going to happen. They are only in the foothills of the exposure of gross incompetence and absolute failure to protect our precious Union.
Two weeks on from its introduction, it is abundantly clear that the Protocol is having a hugely detrimental effect on Northern Ireland’s internal trade with the rest of the United Kingdom.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson: Post Brexit trade disruption breaches the Good Friday Agreement
Sir Jeffrey told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The protocol (which governs the new arrangements) is damaging the Northern Ireland economy and if it damages the Northern Ireland economy it actually undermines the Good Friday agreement.
“And furthermore, that agreement makes clear that Northern Ireland will remain an integral part of the United Kingdom unless the people of Northern Ireland vote otherwise.
“Therefore this breaches a fundamental element of the Good Friday agreement by increasingly separating Northern Ireland from Great Britain in trading terms – our biggest trading partner, our biggest trading market, and that simply doesn’t help anyone in Northern Ireland.”
Brexit red tape here ‘for good’, says Barnier, as Government comes under fire over damage to fishing industry
New regulatory frictions causing disruption to trade with the EU are an “obvious and inevitable” consequence of Brexit and can be expected to be permanent, Brussels’ former chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said.
His comments came as the government came under fire in the House of Commons over the damaging impact of Boris Johnson’s trade deal on the UK fishing industry, with Tory MPs including the party’s leader in Scotland speaking out about the “serious concerns and frustrations” of fishermen.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said one skipper in his Moray constituency had found the value of his catch had fallen to “half of what he needs to cover his costs” as a result of the deal and demanded compensation.
Tory MP for St Austell and Newquay, Steve Double, said fishermen in Cornwall were “very disappointed” by the agreement and feared they would “benefit little” from it.
Other MPs complained of an “avalanche of paperwork” and “cumbersome red tape” faced by fisheries firms.
Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland Alistair Carmichael described the situation as “a shambles”.
“For years, this government has promised our fishing industry a sea of opportunity, but today our boats are tied up in harbour, their propellers fouled by red tape manufactured in Whitehall,” said Mr Carmichael.
Mr Barnier warned Brussels will be “vigilant on all fronts” in policing UK implementation of the deal.
He raised concern over Britain’s decision to grant temporary authorisation for the use of a pesticide banned in the EU because it is suspected of being harmful to bees.
While divergence between EU and UK rules was a natural consequence of Brexit, “one ought to be careful . . . otherwise there will be consequences in terms of going on exporting without tariff without quota to our market”, said Mr Barnier.
“Pesticides concern public health, the health of farmers, farm workers and consumers. Depending on where you set the threshold in that area it can also have an impact on competition and competitiveness.” https://uk.yahoo.com/news/brexit-red-tape-good-says-124828979.html
Fish in UK waters 'better and happier' since Brexit happened, claims Jacob Rees-Mogg amid claims the British seafood industry is losing £1million per DAY because of new export red tape
He made the claim today after days of claims that exporters have been hit by a 'perfect storm' of bureaucracy, IT problems and confusion since the EU trade agreement kicked in on January 1.
Boris Johnson warned that the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland is 'at risk' from Brexit trade rules that have left supermarket shelves EMPTY of fruit and vegetables - as PM claims shortages are just 'teething problems'
Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and Tesco have all faced supply issues after the new customs paperwork came in following the transition period ending on January 1.
Coming to a supermarket near you? Retailers fear Northern Ireland-style food shortages amid Brexit border chaos as ministers draw up plans to allow some lorries to bypass ferry queues in order to keep UK shelves stocked
Certain vehicles lorries will be given access to open lanes on the M20 in Kent during delays at the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal in order to cross the Channel, refill and return as quickly as possible. The consultation document issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says these are 'emergency measures only to be used in extremis and for the shortest time possible'. The scheme would be triggered once congestion on the approach roads to Dover reaches eight hours, and deliveries to UK supermarkets fall below 75 per cent of the schedule for two consecutive days. It came as truckers queued for up to eight hours for their border paperwork to be signed off at a beleaguered Brexit lorry park in Kent. The Defra document said: 'Such delays are likely to have a direct impact on the UK's food supply.'
The Channel 'ghost ships': Chaos as France demands truckers have Covid tests that take three days to give a result before being let in - leaving ministers scrambling for plan to keep supermarket shelves stocked
France is demanding that truckers have Covid tests which can take 72 hours to give a result before being let in amid growing fears of further chaos in Dover (pictured top and bottom right). Last month the French government banned HGV drivers from crossing the English Channel in a desperate bid to prevent the spread of 'mutant' coronavirus detected in London and the South and East of England. The unprecedented ban left thousands of lorry drivers stranded in Kent during the Christmas period and led to clashes with police at the border - only resolved when the UK gave drivers lateral flow tests which take 20 minutes to produce a positive or negative result. But now the French government is worried about the accuracy of the tests and has called on the UK to introduce a fully saliva-based PCR test for the truckers. The delays left boats on the crucial Dover to Calais route that should be filled with HGVs and drivers are eerily quiet (pictured main). The border disruption has also left supermarket shelves empty in Northern Ireland (pictured: a Tesco branch in Belfast).
Brexit chaos fuels fresh food crisis: Spanish lemons and Moroccan tomatoes are among shortages in UK supermarkets as mountains of fish rots in Scotland after border red tape and Covid tests delay drivers
Cauliflower packs, citrus fruit, aubergines, courgettes, mushrooms, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries as well as products like brie and mozzarella are showing as unavailable at major supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and online giant Ocado. The problem at food production plants of staff going sick or needing to shield or self-isolate is an issue for the entire food industry, particularly chicken and red meat processors, while a ban on flights from South Africa and South America is also believed to hitting the supply of good such as wine, fruit and vegetables. Ministers are preparing to allow supermarket lorries to skip queues at the Channel ports as fears of disruption to food supply chains into the UK intensify while there also delays of clothes from Germany And it is no easier for British businesses trying to export their good with Scottish seafood firms are just 'days from collapse' and forced to leave fish rotting on the docks because of border chaos since leaving the EU, industry leaders have warned. Experts have warned that supplies are being squeezed by post-Brexit red tape at ports including France demanding that truckers have Covid tests which can take 72 hours to give a result before being let into Europe disturbing the flow of containers through Dover and Folkestone. Britain's ports were already under huge pressure before January 1 after Covid-19 shattered the system for shipping goods around the world causing a shortage of containers and supply chain problems from covid-hit China, Vietnam and Japan
Comments
UK trade groups and Whitehall officials have been told checks this week showed nearly all lorries arriving from the UK were not meeting post-Brexit rules. But the French insist there are no plans to step up controls.
The Telegraph suggests the post-Brexit red tape is causing Cornish fishermen to leave their catches to rot. Their goods need to be inspected by an approved vet of which there are not enough. One vet tells the paper that "it's been absolutely ridiculous."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-55582466
Parcel courier DPD has announced that is it suspending its road delivery services to Europe, including to Ireland due to Brexit.
The firm said that “complex” Brexit procedures are causing issues as a fifth of parcels are now being sent with "incorrect or incomplete" data, meaning they need to be returned.
“The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement resulted in more complex processes, and additional customs data requirements for parcels destined for Europe,” DPD said in a statement.
“This, along with delays and congestion at UK ports for channel crossings, has placed extra pressure on our turnaround and transit times.
“We are seeing up to 20% of parcels with incorrect or incomplete data attached, resulting in these parcels needing to be returned to customers, so that the required data can be provided.
https://uk.yahoo.com/finance/news/dpd-parcel-delivery-road-services-suspended-brexit-europe-ireland-110822436.html
An 11-page report sent to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, which has been seen by the News Letter, presents the grim prospect of “a collapse of the NI supply chain” within five days if ministers fail to act urgently.
The development comes as a second major supermarket, Marks & Spencer, begins to withdraw hundreds of items from sale in Northern Ireland. M&S, which remained in Northern throughout the Troubles, said that it was committed to remaining in the province and the move was because of the complexity of the new requirement to make customs declarations when any goods are ‘imported’ to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.
Yesterday Mr Gove warned that the Irish Sea border problem “will get worse before it gets better” but insisted that “work is ongoing” and it is “all part of the process of leaving the European Union”.
Another company said: “The whole thing is a disaster to be honest. It is currently easier to ship a container to China than a trailer from Cairnryan to Larne.”
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/system-for-getting-supplies-to-northern-ireland-may-be-five-days-from-collapset-due-to-irish-sea-border-hauliers-warn-michael-gove/ar-BB1cAQCy?ocid=msedgntp
Customers of some of Britain's biggest banks living in Belgium, Italy (pictured) and the Netherlands have either had their accounts closed or will see them shuttered in the next few weeks.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/saving/article-9114785/European-banks-hike-international-payment-fees-British-expats.html
This is the inevitable result of Michael Gove’s agreement with Brussels on the handling of the NI Protocol and a warning for the future as to what we can expect now that Brussels is able to determine the regulatory environment for much of our economic activity, and be able to impose EU state aid rules over NI business.
Neither London nor Stormont will have a say or control over this. We will be regulated without representation.
This is a truly awful state of affairs.
As Northern Ireland enters its centenary year, we are entitled to ask how did we get to this limbo land where we are ruled in large measure by the EU while the rest of our country is operating under totally different circumstances?
How could this have been allowed to happen?’
In the weeks before Christmas I put forward what I believed to be some of the answers. I set out how, as a result of the prime minister’s Brexit negotiations, he put forward a UK proposal to the EU on amending the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland that had been negotiated by the Theresa May administration.
His document was entitled ‘Explanatory Note’ and was dated October 2 2019.
It included: proposals for a regulatory border in the Irish Sea; the establishment of Border Inspection Posts; inclusion of all manufactured goods as well as agricultural produce to be subject to EU rules, including state aid rules and consequently an ongoing role for the European Court in Northern Ireland’s affairs.
Crucially, no such rules or European Court involvement would apply to Great Britain.
I pointed out that immediately this document was released, Arlene Foster and her DUP colleagues endorsed these proposals, describing them as “a serious and sensible way forward”.
Lord Dodds didn’t like what I was saying and accused me of telling lies. I offered on radio to withdraw my claims and apologise if my statement had been factually incorrect.
Needless to say, I have received no evidence that I was factually incorrect. So, at the risk of annoying Nigel and his colleagues once more, I say again that on October 2 2019 the DUP endorsed a regulatory border in the Irish Sea, with all the add-ons of Border Inspection posts etc.
As a result of this decision, Boris Johnson was able to go to Brussels and Dublin and claim that he had unionist consent for his plan.
This point was backed up by evidence given to a House of Commons Committee on October 30 2019 by ex No 10 adviser Raoul Ruparel who suggested that the DUP decision was a significant change from their previous opposition to a regulatory border in the Irish Sea. Indeed, Mr Ruparel was very conservative in his language. Mrs Foster had described the DUP’s opposition to such a border as ‘a blood red line’.
So, why the volte-face? Lord Dodds claimed that in Mr Johnson’s paper the executive and assembly would need to consent and therefore they (the DUP) had a veto.
This is the bit I don’t understand. Firstly, in October 2019 there was no functioning assembly, therefore no veto could have been exercised.
Second, if the DUP were to have a veto, by definition, so would Sinn Fein. Is it credible to imagine that faced with handing a veto to the DUP over Brexit, SF, in the run up to an Irish election would go back into Stormont and face the wrath of southern voters?
Thirdly, did the DUP seriously believe that Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, President Macron of France or Taoiseach Leo Varadkar would hand a veto over the operation of the EU single market to the DUP in Belfast? It’s nonsense. It was never going to happen.
Apart from the Alice in Wonderland thinking behind the veto proposal, which by October 17 2019 was removed entirely from the final agreement with the EU, why would any unionist endorse a document which proposed a border between two parts of the UK, veto or no veto?
The real veto the DUP had in October 2019 was to refuse to consent to Boris Johnson’s document and withdraw support from his government, which at that time was reliant on their support in parliament. They failed to do so.
I have tried and failed to find a rational argument in favour of their decision. It was a huge, costly strategic mistake.
Nigel’s response to me was typical bluster which one can easily dismiss, but the damage all of this has done to Northern Ireland and to the Union has yet to be fully calculated.
Border posts are now being installed in most NI ports, £750m is being allocated to help business cope with the paperwork and other regulatory requirements of being at an international border between the EU and a third country, which is what Great Britain became on January 1.
In normal circumstances, a party which presided over such a strategic and political disaster might be expected to express some regrets over what happened. So far, there has not been a sliver of regret expressed, never mind an apology to the people of Northern Ireland for allowing them to be annexed by a foreign power, which is what the EU became on January 1.
Some DUP leaders may think that this will all blow over and they can move on. It is not going to happen. They are only in the foothills of the exposure of gross incompetence and absolute failure to protect our precious Union.
Two weeks on from its introduction, it is abundantly clear that the Protocol is having a hugely detrimental effect on Northern Ireland’s internal trade with the rest of the United Kingdom.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/dup-may-think-their-role-in-this-disaster-will-blow-over-but-it-won-t/ar-BB1cJFm5?ocid=msedgntp
Sir Jeffrey told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The protocol (which governs the new arrangements) is damaging the Northern Ireland economy and if it damages the Northern Ireland economy it actually undermines the Good Friday agreement.
“And furthermore, that agreement makes clear that Northern Ireland will remain an integral part of the United Kingdom unless the people of Northern Ireland vote otherwise.
“Therefore this breaches a fundamental element of the Good Friday agreement by increasingly separating Northern Ireland from Great Britain in trading terms – our biggest trading partner, our biggest trading market, and that simply doesn’t help anyone in Northern Ireland.”
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/sir-jeffrey-donaldson-post-brexit-trade-disruption-breaches-the-good-friday-agreement/ar-BB1cKkx9?ocid=msedgntp
New regulatory frictions causing disruption to trade with the EU are an “obvious and inevitable” consequence of Brexit and can be expected to be permanent, Brussels’ former chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said.
His comments came as the government came under fire in the House of Commons over the damaging impact of Boris Johnson’s trade deal on the UK fishing industry, with Tory MPs including the party’s leader in Scotland speaking out about the “serious concerns and frustrations” of fishermen.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said one skipper in his Moray constituency had found the value of his catch had fallen to “half of what he needs to cover his costs” as a result of the deal and demanded compensation.
Tory MP for St Austell and Newquay, Steve Double, said fishermen in Cornwall were “very disappointed” by the agreement and feared they would “benefit little” from it.
Other MPs complained of an “avalanche of paperwork” and “cumbersome red tape” faced by fisheries firms.
Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland Alistair Carmichael described the situation as “a shambles”.
“For years, this government has promised our fishing industry a sea of opportunity, but today our boats are tied up in harbour, their propellers fouled by red tape manufactured in Whitehall,” said Mr Carmichael.
Mr Barnier warned Brussels will be “vigilant on all fronts” in policing UK implementation of the deal.
He raised concern over Britain’s decision to grant temporary authorisation for the use of a pesticide banned in the EU because it is suspected of being harmful to bees.
While divergence between EU and UK rules was a natural consequence of Brexit, “one ought to be careful . . . otherwise there will be consequences in terms of going on exporting without tariff without quota to our market”, said Mr Barnier.
“Pesticides concern public health, the health of farmers, farm workers and consumers. Depending on where you set the threshold in that area it can also have an impact on competition and competitiveness.”
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/brexit-red-tape-good-says-124828979.html
He made the claim today after days of claims that exporters have been hit by a 'perfect storm' of bureaucracy, IT problems and confusion since the EU trade agreement kicked in on January 1.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9147841/UK-fish-better-happier-Brexit-happened-claims-Jacob-Rees-Mogg-despite-industry-fury.html
Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and Tesco have all faced supply issues after the new customs paperwork came in following the transition period ending on January 1.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9146529/Boris-Johnson-warns-EU-wont-hesitate-bypass-Brexit-rules-NI-supermarkets-stocked.html
Certain vehicles lorries will be given access to open lanes on the M20 in Kent during delays at the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal in order to cross the Channel, refill and return as quickly as possible. The consultation document issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says these are 'emergency measures only to be used in extremis and for the shortest time possible'. The scheme would be triggered once congestion on the approach roads to Dover reaches eight hours, and deliveries to UK supermarkets fall below 75 per cent of the schedule for two consecutive days. It came as truckers queued for up to eight hours for their border paperwork to be signed off at a beleaguered Brexit lorry park in Kent. The Defra document said: 'Such delays are likely to have a direct impact on the UK's food supply.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9147515/Truckers-queue-eight-HOURS-border-paperwork-signed-off.html
France is demanding that truckers have Covid tests which can take 72 hours to give a result before being let in amid growing fears of further chaos in Dover (pictured top and bottom right). Last month the French government banned HGV drivers from crossing the English Channel in a desperate bid to prevent the spread of 'mutant' coronavirus detected in London and the South and East of England. The unprecedented ban left thousands of lorry drivers stranded in Kent during the Christmas period and led to clashes with police at the border - only resolved when the UK gave drivers lateral flow tests which take 20 minutes to produce a positive or negative result. But now the French government is worried about the accuracy of the tests and has called on the UK to introduce a fully saliva-based PCR test for the truckers. The delays left boats on the crucial Dover to Calais route that should be filled with HGVs and drivers are eerily quiet (pictured main). The border disruption has also left supermarket shelves empty in Northern Ireland (pictured: a Tesco branch in Belfast).
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9147515/Truckers-queue-eight-HOURS-border-paperwork-signed-off.html
Cauliflower packs, citrus fruit, aubergines, courgettes, mushrooms, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries as well as products like brie and mozzarella are showing as unavailable at major supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and online giant Ocado. The problem at food production plants of staff going sick or needing to shield or self-isolate is an issue for the entire food industry, particularly chicken and red meat processors, while a ban on flights from South Africa and South America is also believed to hitting the supply of good such as wine, fruit and vegetables. Ministers are preparing to allow supermarket lorries to skip queues at the Channel ports as fears of disruption to food supply chains into the UK intensify while there also delays of clothes from Germany And it is no easier for British businesses trying to export their good with Scottish seafood firms are just 'days from collapse' and forced to leave fish rotting on the docks because of border chaos since leaving the EU, industry leaders have warned. Experts have warned that supplies are being squeezed by post-Brexit red tape at ports including France demanding that truckers have Covid tests which can take 72 hours to give a result before being let into Europe disturbing the flow of containers through Dover and Folkestone. Britain's ports were already under huge pressure before January 1 after Covid-19 shattered the system for shipping goods around the world causing a shortage of containers and supply chain problems from covid-hit China, Vietnam and Japan
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9151005/Brexit-chaos-fuels-fresh-food-crisis.html