New border customs and control sites to be built in the UK

The UK will build up to 12 new Brexit border customs and control sites in order to ‘take back control’ from the EU.

The £470m programme will provide facilities to process freight going to and from the EU and is accompanied by a 206-page document detailing new border controls.

5 sites are likely to be operation in Kent by 1 January, when the transition period ends and the UK leaves the customs union and single market. The sites will handle up to 400m customs declarations a year.

With such a dramatic change to trading regime announced just months before Brexit becomes quite operational, many businesses have questioned just how ready Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal actually was with Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster saying the 400m customs declarations would add £12.8bn in costs to British businesses.

The new trading system will be phased in over six months which will apply weather or not there was a deal struck with the EU. If a trade deal is struck then there will be additional checks on the origin of the goods and possible tariffs depending on the deal with the EU.

Also announced was that from January, anyone carrying goods worth more than more than £1,500 in a small vehicle, who are transporting it on behalf of business will have to declare the goods using the red channel, with additional controls for more than £10,000 in cash.

Customs forms will also have to be filled out for people receiving goods through the post that do not exceed £900 in value.

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