Ultimately, with less and less time to strike a profitable and business-friendly Brexit deal, more and more companies are starting to panic about their future once the UK leaves the EU market. While financial centres and manufacturers have expressed their views concerning a no-deal Brexit – something that the Prime Minister has rejected previously, claiming that a no-deal Brexit wouldn’t be the end of the world – the impact of a no-deal situation would be devastating for another kind of industry that nobody is thinking about at the moment, namely the roads transport sector. How do you get your truck across the EU when the border controls for British lorry drivers are likely to be enhanced after March 2019? More importantly, what would happen to delivery industries if the Prime Minister failed to secure a deal to protect the future of the British businesses in the EU?
These questions have no answer for now. But, with less than 6 months before the U leaves the EU, it’s essential to prepare your business for the worst-case scenario: a no-deal Brexit.
What happens to deliveries in case of a no deal?
In 2016, UK registered trucks moved nearly 8 million tonnes of goods into and out of the UK. A no-deal Brexit puts this very import-export exchange at risk from March 30th 2019. Without a deal, it’s likely that road transport will be severely disrupted for British firms. Indeed, the major consequence of a no-deal agreement – or lack of agreement – might be the revocation for the UK of transporting goods in and out of EU countries. Indeed, a firm needs to apply for a Community Licence to be issued to authorised transportation. However, these licences might be tricky to obtain in the future. As a result, it’s likely that British firms might try to accumulate transport operations, leaving their drivers exhausted and more prone to cause accidents – truck accidents need to be taken seriously, you can read on GBW.law/personal-injury/truck-accidents/ how claims are treated. It’s a long road paved with stress, fatigue and collision risks.
Did you know that Britons love foreign foods?
The idea that a no-deal is not a situation to fear is ridiculous in its own right. British consumers love EU goods – especially food, as they’re the biggest consumers of Prosecco in Europe as seen on GraziaDaily.co.uk/life/. In a scenario where the Ulk can’t receive EU goods, shops are at risk of experiencing high food shortage from fresh vegetable and fruits to dairy products, pasta, fish, meat, drinks, and biscuits. Additionally, once the UK leaves the EU, the protected products that are so typical from the British culture, such as the Cornish clotted cream, might lose their PGIs and PDOs. The very products that could ensure the British future in the international market can be at risk of being legally copied and produced elsewhere in the world.
The question you want to ask, of course, is whether a no-deal Brexit is likely. The current answer remains unknown, and despite the latest Chequers plan being under criticism, there is no way of knowing what the next few weeks or months will bring. However, now is an excellent time to prepare for the worst, so that you can make the most of the Brexit we get.
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Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.