Screw freedom of movement. Small price to pay for a blue passport!
It was clear what would happen when we left, people just didn’t listen unfortunately.
First class stamps are red. Second class stamps are blue. Same goes for passports it seems.
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It’s also the residency rules everyone else is subject too (in both directions) and has been for years. It doesn’t prevent people visiting our living overseas.
Sending post anywhere is an issue at the moment due to Covid (not Brexit).
As for the VAT rules, the new rules are EU inspired and the EU were also going to introduce them internally this month (they have delayed until July)
The problem is HMRC want sellers to register with them, which costs by the way, and means for businesses which only sell within Europe having to do something different re Vat. So unsurprisingly smaller businesses have decided not to, and won’t deliver to the UK.
It’s the fishing industry that’s suffering the most, on both sides. It’s wrecking businesses sadly. Yes, I’m sure it will get sorted but not before damage is done.
I think the postal situation is much worse than you think. Even domestic 1st class letters are taking up to several weeks to be delivered and it’s far worse for international post - not helped by France closing the border which means huge backlogs in dealing with letters/parcels by Customs at Heathrow…
The EU import/export problem is 100% Brexit and not covid I’m afraid, I work for a company that (used to) sell some items to EU customers. Delivery companies at the moment have completely stopped letting you send items to the EU because the system is such a mess. One of the issues seems to be a new piece of software written by our gov having teething issues meaning everything is having to have the customs documentation filled in by hand and it’s completely unsustainable to do this (this is info directly from DPD).
Obviously this is just exports but I’m sure it’s exactly the same on the other side. It’s not really the vat stuff that’s an issue (although that is a pain), it’s the all the new customs documentation.
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“No downside, only a considerable upside.”
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At least the fish are happier.
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I’m not saying there is not more bureaucracy, there is - and it’s too be expected especially given the fact that the trade agreement was only signed at the last moment.
Some couriers are obviously less ready than others but the Customs and VAT charges will largely resolve themselves in the next 6 months as the EU moves to it’s new system and processes.
A large part of the delays in international post are indeed due to Covid related delays including the fact that there fewer flights between countries
Not according to a poster who actually works in s related industry.
My own experience is that it’s Brexit not COVID as well, from having observed how many companies were reacting to Brexit and in cases choosing not to ship to the UK (if international company) or out of the UK (if UK company).
William Shatner is probably one of the more famous examples, as it got picked up by some papers as one for the ‘weird news stories’ pages.
Since, you don’t know what I do, I still maintain that the delays are caused by both Brexit but also by Covid which has led to a large increase in volumes together with staff shortages.
The DPD temporary suspension is largely to do with many customers not providing the correct data now needed to export a parcel.
It will be interesting to see his and others reaction when the EU adopts similar rules regarding the collection of VAT on cross border sales in July…
It was a bit of both (they’ve resumed now as of yesterday), incredibly large amount of returns due to issues with customs documentation, but also this gov system thats had issues (that’s also now resolved). I don’t know about other couriers since we only use DPD and Royal Mail, but DPD haven’t reported any issues EU wise due to Covid apart from when the new variant was found and everyone closed their borders to the UK end of last year.
The new gov system in case you want to look it up is the NCTS (new computerised transit system).
We’ve now found further issues anyway due to certain types of goods that just aren’t allowed to be shipped to the EU anymore without a load of extra special licenses and documentation that costs extra. Lots of good Brexit has done!
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Oh dear 🤦
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Bullying, closing borders to vaccine exports, raiding AstraZeneca offices, invoking Article 16, hard border in Ireland…
I spoke to my old boss who imports food, quite a bit of it from the EU, he said that the wagon drivers don’t want to do UK jobs because of the extra hassle of documents and that they are going back to the EU empty and therefore make less money.
The UK border force is being lax with the documents at the moment (this may be just for food ) so they can come in without much hassle , but importing to the EU they are being strict and companies don’t have things in order so goods aren’t going that way as much.
Companies with contracts will have their lorries going regardless if the drivers like it or not, so goods are still arriving, but this is mainly with independents which is quite common.
I’ve heard this reported, too.
I think it might have been done to encourage EU trucking companies to make the trip to the UK. It will probably mean that those trucks return empty to the EU rather than risk a hold up at the EU border, which will increase costs all round, I suppose.
Slow clap 
to everyone who voted for Brexit.
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