European businesses are not Brexit-ready, French customs boss warns

European businesses are not Brexit-ready, the head of French customs has warned.

The French customs boss warned many European businesses are not ready for the end of the transition period.

Isabelle Braun-Lemaire claimed businesses in France were ready for the end of the transition period, but others were not, sparking fears of massive lorry queues at the border.

Five million trucks cross the Channel every year and will suddenly have to submit paperwork to customs officials before being allowed to go through from January.

Speaking to Reuters, Ms Braun-Lemaire said: “We consider that we, at French customs, are ready.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove

“Our infrastructure is ready, but it relies on companies having taken on board the fact that with Brexit, there will be custom checks on all goods.

“And that’s a reality we think some companies have not taken into account yet.”

Around 100,000 French companies trade with Britain, but Ms Braun-Lemaire warned she had no idea how many were ready for changes, and complained the UK Government had not been clear through the process.

She explained: “Since trade is free today, we don’t know them. That’s tomorrow’s unknown.

“We can’t have technical discussions that are as frank as we could have had.

“We’re not naive. We don’t know everything.”

Any delays would see businesses struggling to get goods into the UK on time, which could see companies struggling to get goods to Scotland.

However, French customs Brexit organiser Jean-Michel Thillier suggested the pandemic may have helped the businesses manage.

He said: “The health crisis might help, in a way, by reducing traffic.

“So we might have a bit of respite at the beginning of the year.”

The SNP's shadow business spokesperson Drew Hendry warned any form of Brexit would be “devastating” for Scotland.

He said: "As a result of Tory red lines, and the Prime Minister's threats, it is now inevitable that the UK is heading towards a devastating low deal or no-deal extreme Brexit - either of which would be a disaster for Scotland.

"Just last month, the UK government warned industry leaders that they face queues of up to 7,000 trucks, two-day delays to export cargo, and that only 20-40 per cent of small and medium businesses will be ready for the UK's exit at the end of the year.

"Businesses are already struggling to cope due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis. The last thing they need is the instability and harm posed by the Tory government's reckless Brexit plans.”

Earlier this month the UK Government launched a new campaign warning businesses “time is running out”.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove said: "At the end of this year we are leaving the EU single market and customs union and this means there are both new challenges and new opportunities for businesses.

“Make no mistake, there are changes coming in just 75 days and time is running out for businesses to act.

“It is on all of us to put in the work now so that we can embrace the new opportunities available to an independent trading nation with control of its own borders, territorial waters and laws.”

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