Brexit

[RTH10260]

Aid for Ukraine is being blocked at UK borders due to post-Brexit red tape on shipments into EU, charities warn

• Lewisham Polish Centre said aid trucks were stranded in Dover over paperwork
  Post-Brexit rules require all items to be inventoried before being shipped to EU
  Officials insisted the vehicles needed T1 documents which charity says is costly

By KATIE FEEHAN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 13:36 GMT, 7 March 2022 | UPDATED: 16:28 GMT, 7 March 2022

Concerns have been raised by some charities that aid shipments for Ukraine are being delayed from reaching Europe due to customs red tape.

The post-Brexit rules for moving donations into the European Union are confusing and unclear, aid workers have said.

The Lewisham Polish Centre, a charity based in south-east London, said three of its vans loaded with sleeping bags, nappies and sanitary items for refugees were stuck in Dover for two days due to paperwork issues.

The drivers were on Friday turned away by port authorities who said they did not have the correct documentation, according to the charity's chair.

Agnieszka Lokaj said: 'The guys had cover letters from us that this is humanitarian aid with all the information that this is going to be distributed for the refugees, it's not for reselling; we listed all the items.'

Every item being transported to the EU from the UK has to be accounted for under post-Brexit legislation.

Officials insisted the vehicles needed T1 documents, which Ms Lokaj said would have incurred costs too high for her small organisation.

The charity was forced to suspend collection of supplies due to 'logistical challenges' this weekend as they struggled to get their trucks to Poland.

Here's how YOU can help: Donate here to the Mail Force Ukraine Appeal
Readers of Mail Newspapers and MailOnline have always shown immense generosity at times of crisis.

Calling upon that human spirit, we are supporting a huge push to raise money for refugees from Ukraine.

For, surely, no one can fail to be moved by the heartbreaking images and stories of families – mostly women, children, the infirm and elderly – fleeing from Russia's invading armed forces.

As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of a tyrant will require accommodation, schools and medical support.



Meanwhile, there are reports that dozens of other lorries carrying medical supplies have yet to reach their destination due to similar hold-ups at the UK border, with one driver claiming lorries are being turned away.

'We are not clear on the rules because everybody's saying something else.

'Some vans were able to get through without the T1', Ms Lokaj said, describing the situation as a 'waste of money, waste of time' for busy volunteers.

The vans finally got onto a ferry on Sunday with the help of Ciaran Donovan, a St Albans-based courier who transports goods across Europe for a living.

He said: 'What they did in the end, which is absolutely mental, is they went on a tourist ticket, which you're not supposed to do.

'It's chaos, there's no law to it, there's no rule to it.'

Mr Donovan also said he knew of 13 other vans transporting medical equipment on behalf of charities that 'still haven't left the UK after four days of trying to get customs paperwork'.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... -warn.html

comment: I take it from this article that the final destination of much of this aid was within the EU (Poland) and not transit into the Ukraine.

[Chilidog]

Fuck Boris

[Slim Cognito]

Oh FFS.

[RTH10260]

UK faces large EU bill over Chinese imports fraud
Court rules government failed to fulfil obligation to collect correct amount of customs duties and VAT

Jennifer Rankin and Daniel Boffey in Brussels
Tue 8 Mar 2022 09.57 GMT

The British government faces paying a hefty charge to the EU after the European court of justice ruled it had been negligent in allowing criminal gangs to flood European markets with cheap Chinese-made clothes and shoes.

Publishing its final ruling on Tuesday, the court concluded that the UK as member state had “failed to fulfil its obligations” under EU law to combat fraud and collect the correct amount of customs duties and VAT on imported Chinese goods. The failures by HMRC date from 2011 to 2017.

Under the withdrawal agreement signed by Boris Johnson, the UK remains subject to ECJ jurisdiction for any breaches of EU law during its time as a member state. The European Commission has been seeking since 2018 to force the UK to pay more than €2bn (£1.7bn) in compensation to the EU budget.

The complaint emerged in 2017, when the EU’s anti-fraud office said British authorities had allowed criminals to evade customs duties by making false claims about clothes and shoes imported from China. It found that more than half of all textiles and footwear imported into the UK from China were below “the lowest acceptable prices”.

In a blow to the government, the EU’s highest court upheld the complaint, finding “that the United Kingdom has failed to fulfil its obligations under EU law by failing to apply effective customs control measures or to enter in the accounts the correct amounts of customs duties”.

It also said the British government had failed to provide EU officials with all the necessary information to calculate the amount of money owed.



https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/ ... se-imports

[RTH10260]

When holiday time suddenly counts with the working time in the EU

Brexit rules hit Brits heading to EU 'I should have gone to Wales!'
BREXIT rules have started to come into effect, leading some Britons to regret booking a holiday abroad.

By MARED GRUFFYDD
04:08, Thu, Apr 7, 2022 | UPDATED: 17:51, Thu, Apr 7, 2022

Britons have shared their travel stories in recent days, with some saying that going abroad is now a “headache”. Some people have regretted going on holiday, while others are finding it increasingly difficult to work abroad.

Covid is not the only reason travel looks different now to what it did two years ago.

Brexit is also to blame for the more difficult, time-consuming process, which has made it harder not only to travel to the EU, but to work there too.

Even though immigration-related changes took effect once the agreed transition period ended on December 31, 2020, the new Brexit rules are largely only being felt now.

Frank Jura, CIBTvisas and Newland Chase managing director for Germany and Austria, said: “We see more and more clients face the reality of Brexit over the past couple of months where actually it causes friction for a UK national needing to work in the EU and vice versa.”

Tobias Schönborn, managing director of mobility service provider visumPOINT agreed.

He stressed the issue of allowing UK passport holders only to visit the EU visa-free for 90 days in any 180-day period.

“Last year no one really travelled but now that people are starting to travel again, 90 days is proving very tough for frequent travellers like salespeople, especially as personal vacation time is also deducted from the 90-day allowance,” he said.

“They are starting to find they are exceeding their limits."

[RTH10260]

Pressure on BBC after it 'edited out' NFU Scotland's Brexit comment on food shortages

PRESSURE is mounting on the BBC after the broadcaster was accused of editing out a reference to Brexit in a clip about food shortages.

BY CRAIG MEIGHAN
11th April

Anger erupted after a segment aired on BBC Scotland’s The Seven and Reporting Scotland appeared to cut out the speaker's mentions of Brexit amid a discussion on the impact of food shortages.

National Farmers Union Scotland president Martin Kennedy had been discussing issues affecting framing, such as the war in Ukraine, Covid and Brexit.

The latter issue was included in a written version on the BBC’s website but appears to have been removed from the broadcast clip.

Following the reports, outcry emerged with the missing reference to Brexit being labelled "shocking".

Sharing The National’s article on the row, Tony Blair’s former head of communications called the report “incredible”.



https://www.thenational.scot/news/20060 ... shortages/

[RTH10260]

'Brexit red tape' leaves Staffordshire farmer with 500 tonnes of beetroot and £90,000 loss

Monday 11 April 2022, 5:36pm

A farmer has told ITV News Central 500 tonnes of beetroot has been left to rot because his usual European customers are looking elsewhere.

Will Woodhall says Brexit paperwork and red tape has led many customers who live in Europe, to make purchases from other EU countries, instead of buying from the UK.

It means he could face a loss of up to £90,000.

Some of the mound of beetroot has been put to use, feeding cattle on the farm, but it's feared that the majority - which has been sitting around since last autumn- will soon only be suitable for compost.

Will Woodhall, from Woodhall growers said: "All the beetroot was destined for the European market.

"There wasn't a clear cut reason, the phrases I got were 'they don't want anymore none EU', so you assume Brexit is the main cause."

He added: "This is happening across a range of crops from what I am hearing, it's not just beetroot.

"It's a real shame and a major hit to the business."

Mr Woodhall had anticipated issues two years ago when Brexit happened and decided to grow a smaller crop, but when European countries continued to purchase from him, he chose to increase production again.

But now, he's having to figure out a new plan.

Last year was the first outside the single market and customs union, and since January 1, 2022, forms have to be completed in full before products leave the UK.




https://www.itv.com/news/central/2022-0 ... d-90k-loss

[RTH10260]

40,000 jobs at risk as foreign pupils shun UK language schools
Sector faces ‘devastation’ by Brexit red tape and from pandemic

James Tapper
Sat 16 Apr 2022 16.56 BST

Language schools for foreign students are being “devastated” by a combination of post-Brexit red tape and the impact of the pandemic, threatening the future of a £3.2bn industry, tourism leaders have warned.

A report by the Tourism Alliance said even though the government had ended Covid travel measures, ministers had imposed unnecessary restrictions on children from France, Germany and other EU nations.

That has prompted a collapse in school group bookings and an estimated 80% drop in revenue across the industry this year, threatening 40,000 jobs, the Tourism Alliance said.

Until 2021, more than 1.5 million children came to the UK each year to study English or on organised school trips, accounting for about 11% of total annual tourism earnings.

Before Brexit, groups of children could travel using identity cards under the List of Travellers scheme.

Now, every child must have a passport, and children with non-EU passports – including refugees – also need a £95 visa. Schools are opting to go to Ireland or Malta for English language trips, or not travelling at all.

Kurt Janson, the director of the Tourism Alliance, said the passport requirement was having “a devastating impact on a large number of small businesses and local communities”.

“The collapse in the school group market is unnecessary as schoolchildren present no security risk, will not disappear into the black economy and start driving minicabs, and parents who let their children go on school trips are generally quite keen for their teachers to bring them back home.

“This is an obvious situation where the government needs to set aside its dogma on passports and work with the industry to find a practical solution.”

Many language schools are concentrated in seaside towns on the south coast of England. In Hastings, the council says only seven of its 20 language schools and tour operators are confirmed to be still running.




https://www.theguardian.com/education/2 ... exit-covid

[RTH10260]

seems to get enforced recently

Tens of Indians Refused Boarding Their Flights to UK due to Lack of Transit Schengen Visas
April 17, 2022

Tens of Indian nationals attempting to board flights to the United Kingdom with a transiting stop in either the Czech Republic, France, Germany or Spain have been prevented from doing so in recent days.

European Union registered air carriers like Lufthansa, Air France and KLM, which operate flights from India to the UK, with a stopover in one of these four EU countries, are no longer permitting Indians who don’t hold a Transit Schengen Visa or another type of a valid Schengen Visa, to board these flights, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

According to the Times of India, among those affected is also Mihikaa Bhaskar, a 25 years old student pursuing her master’s studies at a London college.

Mihikaa had returned to her home in Kasturinagar, Bengaluru, on March 16, visiting her parents for the Easter break. However, in her attempt to travel back to the UK to continue her studies, Mihikaa was prevented from boarding Lufthansa flight LH 755, which she had pre-booked at the Kempegowda International Airport.

“They said they couldn’t allow me to board since, being an Indian passport holder, I needed a transit visa for my two-and-a-half-hour transit period in Frankfurt before flying out to London. I tried telling them that I hold a valid UK residence permit and didn’t face the transit visa hurdle during my trip from London to Bengaluru via Frankfurt, but they simply weren’t ready to listen,” Mihikaa says regarding her experience.

Due to the obstacle, she was later forced to book a flight to London via Bahrain.

Mihikaa is just one of the many Indian nationals, a large share of whom students, who have faced this problem in recent days.

The requirement comes as a consequence of the UK’s departure from the EU on December 31, 2020, which makes it a third country to the European bloc. Why the requirement started being applied exactly now has not been explained by the airlines.



https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/t ... gen-visas/

[RTH10260]

Brits Bringing Their Pets to EU Hit With €215 Fee Each Time They Visit the Bloc
April 19, 2022

British travellers are charged £180 or €215 for bringing their pets – dogs and cats in the 27-nation-bloc, after Brexit – the act that marks the UK’s exit from the EU.

More specifically, the European Union requires Brits to provide an Animal Healthcare Certificate from a vet, which is valid for four months and costs around €215, although the precise price depends. Due to technical problems, the measure also applies when reaching Irish borders, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

On the other hand, pet passports issued across the EU Member States are valid for entry to the United Kingdom and can be obtained for €20 (£16.60), as Pets That Travel consultancy reveals. In addition, such passports have the advantage of being accepted in other countries in Europe such as Norway, Switzerland, as well as the United States.




https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/b ... -the-bloc/

[RTH10260]

British immigrants to Spain

Expats 'face Spain driving ban after failure to reach post-Brexit deal'
UK nationals who have lived in Spain for more than six months will no longer be able to use their DVLA-issued licences.

Nina Lloyd, PA reporter
1 day ago

British expats in Spain are reportedly facing a driving ban after a Government failure to reach a post-Brexit deal on licence rules.

From Sunday, UK nationals who have lived in the EU country for more than six months will no longer be able to use their DVLA-issued licences.

British residents will need to obtain a Spanish licence to get behind the wheel, and may need to retake a driving test until an agreement is reached.

The change will not affect holidaymakers visiting the country, who can still use their UK driving licence.

A UK Government source told the Mail on Sunday the situation was thought to be temporary, while the Foreign Office said it was pushing to “accelerate talks” with the Spanish government.

“This could go on for a week or it could be longer. It should be temporary but we don’t know how temporary,” the source said.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “Despite the UK Government’s best efforts, an agreement to swap UK driving licences for Spanish licences has not yet been reached.

“From May 1, UK licence holders who have been resident in Spain for more than six months and did not exchange their licence during the transition period will no longer be able to drive legally in Spain.

“This does not affect visiting or tourist motorists from the UK or Gibraltar.

“We have agreed to rapidly accelerate talks and are urging the Spanish government to bring forward interim measures.

“We remain committed to reaching a deal and the UK already has similar arrangements in place with 24 other EU countries.”

Until now, British residents in Spain have been able to use their DVLA-issued licences to get around.

Conservative former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith blamed Spain for the delay, telling the paper it was a case of “manana, manana” and saying it was “time they do what they agreed”.




https://news.stv.tv/world/british-expat ... rexit-deal

[Azastan]

Don't know if this really has anything to do with Brexit, but it's a good place to put this anyway.

"British holiday-makers are facing strict new rules on drinking alcohol in all-inclusive resorts this summer.
Brits travelling to parts of Spain will find themselves limited on how many drinks they can have each day.

Tourists will also face rules on where and when they can drink alcohol.

The new rules from the Government of Balearic Islands affects some of the most popular holiday destinations, including Ibiza and Magaluf.



Thomas Cook has warned its package holiday customers of the new restrictions, the Daily Star reports.


The new all-inclusive rules will mean alcohol can only be served at meal times.
Brits abroad will now be limited to six alcoholic drinks each day – and these can only be served during lunch and dinner.

So any dreams of drinking beers or cocktails all day around the pool have been dashed for many holiday-makers.

The regions affected by the changes are Magaluf, El Arenal and Playa de Palma in Majorca, and Sant Antoni in Ibiza.

The email states: “Please be advised that a decree has been issued by the Balearic Government on a new restriction for All Inclusive meal option.
“There is a maximum of six alcoholic drinks per person per day that can be served and these drinks will be provided only during lunch and dinner ( 3 each).
“Please be aware that Magalluf, El Arenal, Playa de Palma in Mallorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza, there is new restriction on All Inclusive.”

In these areas, there will also be a crackdown on pub crawls, with the sale of alcohol in shops banned from to 9.30pm to 8am each night."

https://themanc.com/news/brits-abroad-f ... ga5uQ1CfIQ

[Suranis]

Ya. I am on a facebook group "Angry people in local newspapers" and they had a story of a guy "Fumin" about it.

Man ‘angry and upset’ after Spain introduces new ‘six drink rule’ on all-inclusive holidays

I could quote from the article, but all you need to do is look at one of the 3 photos of this guy in the article, 2 of which he is holding some drink or other.

tosser.jpg (74.19 KiB) Viewed 1030 times

[RTH10260]

Don't know if this really has anything to do with Brexit, but it's a good place to put this anyway.

"British holiday-makers are facing strict new rules on drinking alcohol in all-inclusive resorts this summer.


https://themanc.com/news/brits-abroad-f ... ga5uQ1CfIQ

Nothing to do with Brexit but with senseless binge drinking, with drunks and them losing control over their bodily fluids all over the beaches and street in the tourist locations.

It's not the Brits alone, Germans have also be known to go on a rampage.

[Azastan]

Don't know if this really has anything to do with Brexit, but it's a good place to put this anyway.

"British holiday-makers are facing strict new rules on drinking alcohol in all-inclusive resorts this summer.


https://themanc.com/news/brits-abroad-f ... ga5uQ1CfIQ

Nothing to do with Brexit but with senseless binge drinking, with drunks and them losing control over their bodily fluids all over the beaches and street in the tourist locations.

It's not the Brits alone, Germans have also been known to go on a rampage.

I know it didn't really have anything to do with Brexit, but thought it was amusing because us Brits are notorious for binge drinking, especially in Spain. It's the heat, you know.

[RTH10260]

UK residents in the EU getting screwed wih existing life insurance policies

Script posted by vlogger Not only the dead!):

Dead Expats Lose £47,000 because of Brexit

19 May 2022

Brexit has cost an Elderly Expat I mean an Immigrant couple living in France £47,000 on Aviva, ‘first death life assurance policy’… Because the company said sod of we don’t want your Business… or was it: we can now squirm out of paying out in the case of death… A Brexit win for this UK division of the French company Aviva… Yes, it is True UK assurance providers are cancelling policies if you reside in France…. “Under French law, it’s no longer possible to renew, extend or modify existing contracts without regulatory permission to conduct insurance business in France…

But they are not alone…No… other policyholders who some would have voted for Brexit are whinging too…

One couple has been told their policy, held with Aviva since 1992, and since 1983 under prior ownership of Norwich UNION, is being ended due to Brexit.

They have been paying premiums of £69/month to a policy which would have paid out £47,155 on the first death… but because of a whole load of numpties that put the cross in the wrong box these policyholders can only claim the cash-in value of £169.26… A bit of a loss hey?
Brexit brought the end of ‘financial passporting’ for UK financial firms since our charlatan government pushed a hard Brexit because they hate the ECJ so much…. Screwing over it’s own citizens… But it won’t be the last time that i am sure… and we will be subjected to every excuse in the book hoodwinking the lack of thinking to why the UK economy is Brexited £47.6bn in lost revenue last year Welcome to Brexit sir…

video clip

► Show Spoiler

ps. there must be something special in the UK laws that i don't know about that allow the insurance companies to garnish the premiums when they cancel contracts, not a buy back request by insurance taker.

[RTH10260]

a vlogger on UK farming

[RTH10260]

UK farms missing up to 75% of seasonal workers needed for harvest[

By Grace Duncan
19 May 2022

Seasonal worker shortages of up to 75% have been reported in some parts of the UK, sparking fears there will not be enough labour available to pick crops this year.

One senior food sector source told The Grocer the shortages had been driven by delays in the­ ­processing of visas, leaving some producers with just 25% of the workers they had originally booked in for harvest.

Meanwhile, some Worcestershire-based farmers are reporting shortfalls of about 30%, with others in the east of England have said up to half of their booked labour is missing, a second industry source suggested.

Julian Marks, group MD of global food and farming company Barfoots, said securing labour was an “ongoing challenge” and getting “pretty desperate”. The business is “just about keeping our heads above water, but it could change in 48 hours or a week depending on delays on permits”, Marks warned.

“The challenge for us comes in about a fortnight’s time when we have Tenderstem broccoli and courgettes come in together, and you still have asparagus [to pick now],” he added, while noting promises from government over additional visas had not been kept.

Marks urged the government to get “moving now” to secure the sector’s promised 10,000 extra visas under its ­seasonal workers scheme, as “we are heading into the peak season for everybody”.




https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/fruit-and-v ... 5.article8

[Volkonski]

Hey, what those UK farmers need to do is double or triple or quadruple what they pay for farmworkers and the problem is solved.

I'm sure that UK consumers won't mind paying more for local fresh vegetables harvested by real unionized UK subjects instead of by a bunch of underpaid foreigners.

If there are shortages they can just go back to using WW II rationing recipes.

We could even sell them some Spam.

[Volkonski]

[RTH10260]

Hey, what those UK farmers need to do is double or triple or quadruple what they pay for farmworkers and the problem is solved.

I'm sure that UK consumers won't mind paying more for local fresh vegetables harvested by real unionized UK subjects instead of by a bunch of underpaid foreigners.

If there are shortages they can just go back to using WW II rationing recipes.

We could even sell them some Spam.

That won't bring back the UK workers. Johnson is "leveling up" the country to get everyone into hitec high-salaried desk jobs. Nor do I beleve that many EU workers will deal with the cumbersome visa process with limited freedoms. Maybe some workers from India will show interest when farmers sponsor their air trip

[RTH10260]

https:// twitter.com/guardiannews/status/1530612463703580673

Guardian news@guardiannews
Boris Johnson to reportedly bring back imperial measurements to mark platinum jubilee
theguardian.com
Boris Johnson to reportedly bring back imperial measurements to mark platinum jubilee
Move is an apparent attempt to win support from Brexit voters in seats Tories fear losing
8:10 PM · May 28, 2022

He can bring back all he wants, just nobody will be using it.

[Volkonski]

Here on the North Fork one way farmers deal with the lack of workers is U-Pick. The retail customers are given a box or basket and go out into the fields and pick their own produce. They have done this with apples, pumpkins and strawberries for years but now they are doing this for other vegetables and berries. Works best with families with children.

[RTH10260]

For the UK it's not only the picking of produe, of course that is the most labour intensive, but also getting the seedlings into the ground. Not all seeding can be automated. Works only where seeds need to be put into the ground, does not work well where young plants need to be transferred from the nurseries. I have seen mechanized planting in the US (thanks to Youtube) but i doubt that British farms are large enought for such an investment.

[Ben-Prime]

I think this doesn't go far enough. I want to be able to measure wine (or other fruit beverage) production in hogshead to the hectare.