What the end of frictionless trade with the EU means for UK manufacturing

Automotive, food and beverage, and chemical manufacturers could suffer significant disruptions when frictionless trade with the European Union comes to an end in January 2021. With the introduction next year of importation checks at the UK border, including customs declarations and mandatory safety and security certificates, trade goods and services coming from the EU will not pass through to the UK without stringent scrutiny, potentially causing harm to the operations of key sectors in UK manufacturing. These new measures, which are the opposite of those proposed under a no-deal Brexit, were announced in the first official confirmation by de facto PM Michael Gove at a Border Delivery Group event in London. From January 2021, all traders will have to submit to customs checks, regulatory standards and food safety measures before entering the UK. These will be imposed on ferries crossing the English Channel and vehicles coming through the Channel Tunnel – the very facilities designed to minimise importation checks at the UK border.