FORECASTING FEATURES
Plain sailing T
Disruption from COVID and Brexit has seen delays in moving materials, with more rule changes caused by the EU exit still to come. Mark Simmonds, of the British Ports Association, explains how to make sure your business is ready
he combined challenges of Brexit and COVID-19 have seen many electrical businesses facing delays and disruption when it comes to getting materials. Over the past year,
changes to regulations and the pressures of the pandemic have wreaked havoc on some supply chains and made people even more aware of the impact of global events on trade. As the vaccination roll-out continues and companies adjust to life outside the EU, fi rms will be hoping for some stability over the next 12 months. But there are still issues to
be aware of and businesses need to plan ahead, advises Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy and External Aff airs at the British Ports Association. Although the rules about shipping goods
Mark Simmonds, British Ports Association
out of the UK to the EU have already changed, the regulations on imports won’t come into eff ect until January next year. This could have an impact on electrical businesses who order materials from overseas, so it’s important to be ready for the changes. Mark said: “There have been two big issues that have aff ected trade recently – Brexit and COVID. With regards to Brexit, things are quite calm, trade is fl owing relatively well and we’re in a fairly comfortable position. “The reason for that is partly because import controls haven’t come into eff ect yet for goods coming in from the EU. They have been delayed until January so ports have time to build the infrastructure they need to do these additional checks. “But regardless of how the infrastructure goes, we may start to see
issues again at the start of next year as that’s always going to be the case with a change at that magnitude.”
Ready for new rules With the upcoming change in import laws, Mark advised SELECT Members who order goods from the EU to make sure they’re prepared for what lies ahead. He said: “They need to be aware of the new regulations and the new paperwork that might be required. They also need to make sure their suppliers are aware of the changes. “We’re keen that everyone is ready and is already preparing for the January deadline because it’s not something you can do in just a couple of weeks. Make your plan early and make sure your suppliers and customers are ready.”
Building resilience The changes mean there could be additional delays in getting goods into the country, which may have to be factored in when planning work and arranging contracts. Mark added: “Whenever you introduce new controls there may be an issue. The worst-case scenario is the infrastructure isn’t ready, but it’s still a long way off .
30 CABLEtalk JUNE/JULY 2021
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