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Breaking: the key IT system to avoid border chaos will still be in testing mode on Brexit day 1/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-15/key-border-it-system-won-t-be-ready-for-brexit-industry-warns?sref=yMmXm5Iy
Trade group Logistics UK says government officials told them the Smart Freight System won’t be fully tested and stable until April 2021 - too late for end of Brexit transition 2/
The government plan is to start beta-testing it in December, when it says it will be ‘fully operational’. Here’s what http://gov.uk says Beta means 3/
A reminder: the SFS is designed so lorries pre-declare they have correct paperwork to enter EU, giving them a permit to enter Kent. No permit = £300 fine 4/ https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-07-13/u-k-brexit-border-plan-hinges-on-untested-it-system-being-ready
This is the system UK gov is planning to avoid their big fear - huge traffic in Kent because lorries don’t have right documents and get turned away by the EU 5/ https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-09-03/u-k-races-to-fix-critical-gaps-exposed-in-brexit-border-plan
Logistics UK said the revelation about the IT system is a ‘crushing disappointment’ and was met with ‘dismay’ - we could have lots of unhappy truckers in January... 6/ https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-09-13/smelly-portaloos-400-fines-truck-drivers-warn-of-brexit-chaos
And your now regular reminder - all this will be needed even with a UK-EU FTA. Britain will be outside EU customs union, therefore goods will need customs declarations, and EU will impose full controls 7/ https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-06-18/eu-says-it-won-t-ease-customs-controls-on-u-k-after-brexit
This also why the Brexit lorry parks are being built. Plan is to intercept trucks without the right documents, and send them there 8/ https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-09-03/government-gets-power-to-build-brexit-lorry-parks-across-england
It’s all looking quite high-wire for end of the year - potentially in covid second wave, untested IT system policing most important trade route, supply chains under pressure... big challenges for gov in store ends/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-15/key-border-it-system-won-t-be-ready-for-brexit-industry-warns?sref=yMmXm5Iy
