Britain Delays Post-Brexit Border Checks

Britain on Tuesday (14 September) said it would push back its implementation of full post-Brexit borders checks on goods from the European Union, as the pandemic, red tape and new immigration rules fuel supply problems, Euractiv.com reports.

Plans to introduce full controls in areas such as the import of food and animal products had been due from next month but would now start from January next year under a “pragmatic new timetable”, the government said.

Britain will still introduce full customs declarations and controls on 1 January 2022, as planned.

The pandemic and Brexit have left Britain short of some 90,000 truck drivers, many of whom returned to eastern Europe, causing supply chain problems, particularly in the food and drink sector.

According to Euractiv.com, fears are growing that supply problems will hit Christmas. Fastfood outlets KFC and McDonald’s have already reported shortages of some menu items, while the JD Wetherspoon chain of pubs, owned by Brexit-supporting Tim Martin, had run out of some beer brands.