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Policy & Compliance


www.bifa.org


and therefore anyone writing business for an EU entity would need to be a broker registered in the EU. Some of the big national brokers may well have an EU counterpart and thus be able to continue offering such cover, but smaller independent brokers may not and are consequently unable to offer cover to an EU-based company. Many insurers have now determined that under a Forwarder’s


Marine Declaration Facility the insured party is the customer and therefore the same rules apply, and they can no longer offer cover under a UK forwarder’s policy for an EU customer. Some insurers have different facilities available and may be


able to offer a separate policy for EU customers, but that would still need a broker that is also EU-registered to organise insurance. There was a myth that the EU favoured larger business. A


common theme in this article is that, actually, the Customs Union and Single Market allowed British SMEs to trade on a more level playing field with larger competitors than has in all probability been previously acknowledged. The key word in EU is “Union” – national governments in


many areas such as customs are free to determine procedures and levels of checks. This is no longer the case, and one common refrain is the inconsistency of the procedures (where there used to be none) often between different locations within the same country.


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relevant to hi-tech industries such as the aircraft and aerospace sector. Safety accreditation used to be done under the umbrella of Europe’s aviation regulator. This is no longer the case and access to European


accreditation is five times more costly for a non-EU company than an EU-based one. This has significant cost implications for UK exporters to the EU and there are concerns that certain UK traders will be economically disadvantaged, thus reducing our export trade to the EU. BIFA has come across several situations where


consideration needs to be given to appointing an EU representative for certain specific functions. One of the most difficult for our sector relates to insurance. Following Brexit, an insurer’s passport to write EU business was no longer in place


Support your local Member group


BIFA utilises a network of regional consultants around the UK to act as a conduit for the dissemination of information and to seek local Member views on topics of interest. In light of current restrictions due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, regional activity has moved online. Forthcoming virtual meetings are listed here.


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Region Gatwick


Regional Members’ meeting Heathrow


Regional Members’ meeting Stansted


Regional Members’ meeting All BIFA Members are entitled and


encouraged to attend their regional meetings. However, pre-booking with the named contact is essential. See www.bifa.org/events


Date


Level playing field removed There is a view that it is considerably more difficult for UK exporters to the EU than vice versa. Effectively, the level playing field has been removed in at least the short/medium term until a new equilibrium can be established. Moving forward, when the final two stages of the Border


Operating Model are implemented to establish UK import controls at the border for goods moving into the UK, it will be interesting to establish how effectively EU exporters will be able to master the bureaucracy required to export goods to the UK, and whether UK importers can master the technicalities of the import procedures. It is important that Members start planning for full import


controls on the 1 January 2022 in order to minimise delays and protect their business interests. What is clear is that there is still much to be done from a trade perspective to complete the Brexit process.


Time Thu 2 Sep 1130 Thu 9 Sep 1400 Tue 14 Sep 1130 Venue BIFA Contact Videoconference Mike Jones m.jones@bifa.org Videoconference Mike Jones m.jones@bifa.org Videoconference Mike Jones m.jones@bifa.org


BIFA Young Forwarders’ Network Details of forthcoming events for the BIFA Young Forwarders’ Network can be found at www.linkedin.com/showcase/bifa-young- forwarders-network/?viewAsMember=true


August 2021


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