AORI automatic allocations were long overdue says RHA

In one of the biggest weeks for Brexit since talks began as the country voted to leave the European Union, PM Boris Johnson suspended parliament – an action which had a mixed reception from his peers and the general public alike. For business, this has delivered on even more uncertainty for the coming months in the running up until Brexit.

In all of this, the Road Haulage Association has described their concerns in the running up to October 31st – when the UK is expected to leave the European Union on what is likely to be a no-deal basis. With no signs of a deal in sight, final negotiations are set to take place just 2 weeks before the 31st which are expected to turn sour by analysts.

The RHA covered their woes as the government finally confirmed they would have a system in place which would enrol companies automatically into a customs ID system to identify traders and their capacity of operation whether it be on a national or international scale.

HMRC are set to register firms with an Economic Operator Registration and Identification number which will mean they can continue to trade with EU companies once the Brexit process has been completed and many of the concerns the industry faces have been resolved.

While relieved that hauliers can continue to trade under these terms, Richard Burnett, RHA Chief Exec has been calling upon the government since talks began to take more action to ready UK firms. In addition to informing international hauliers what Brexit could mean for the future of the industry and keep the public up to date rather than leaving businesses in the dark as to what kind of benefits as well as costs and consequences that leaving the EU on October 31st could lead to. With a better informed industry, as a whole trade workers would feel more confident where business is concerned following Brexit.

Speaking on the matter directly, Burnett said: “This is a long overdue move that will keep UK businesses trading with customers and suppliers in the EU – but it’s only the beginning of the process. Traders still aren’t getting the information and support they need to tackle the customs formalities they’ll be facing after Brexit.”
With just a few months to go until the Brexit deadline, the PM has a very limited amount of time to introduce a plan that hauliers will feel reassured with knowing with certainty that their business will not be on the line should Britain choose to proceed under no-deal terms. 

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