Category: EU

Metro road freight preparing for everything

Just a few month’s into his new role and Metro’s Head of European Services, Matt Paxton-Rhodes say’s that instead of future-gazing, his focus is on the resilience of current operations, expanding the trusted partner network and finalising the service-model template, ready to transfer into n... Read more

New EU border controls threaten cross-channel delays

Almost 60% of all UK-EU trade passes through the UK short straits and ensuring their operational stability is key to facilitating and maximising international trade, but EU border controls due to take effect next May threaten to impact their resilience and sustainability. The European Entry/Ex... Read more

Metro are getting BIGGER in Europe

Metro has been shipping freight to, from and across Europe since 1981, using road, rail and short-sea services to create country and product-specific transport solutions. Our new Head of European Services, Matt Paxton-Rhodes, wants to make these award-winning solutions available to more shippers,... Read more

July UK border updates – consistent trade with the EU Bloc

The government, who would like your feedback on UK border controls, have announced an unexpected border easement, but another one that nearly a quarter of a million traders would welcome is unlikely to happen. Customs Declaration ServiceThe customs handling of import and export freight system ... Read more

Safety and security easements effective 1st July 2022

HMRC is introducing four new border easements tomorrow, focused around the submission of safety and security (S&S) information for vehicles taking goods into and out of the UK. The facilitations, that will be welcomed by the logistics sector, were recently confirmed to members of the Joint... Read more

UK inches towards potential EU trade war – impact on European logistics

After the PM’s trip to Northern Ireland this week failed to trigger any progress in the dead-locked political situation, the government has announced plans to table legislation that will scrap parts of the Northern Ireland protocol, in spite of fears that it could initiate a trade war with the ... Read more

July UK border changes from the EU

On the 1st July 2022, previously deferred UK border controls on the importing of animal health products and Safety and Security declarations, will come into force. From 1st July 2022, you will need to provide safety and security information about goods you are bringing into Great Britain from ... Read more

P&O inadvertently slash European Channel capacity

Freight services between the UK and Europe continue to face suspension after P&O Ferries’ Dubai-based owner, DP World laid off 800 workers last week, amid a controversial restructuring exercise. There are consequences in overland supply chains that had not been considered by most. A... Read more

Third of businesses not prepared for EU customs changes

With the multiple transitions, extensions and grace periods granted by the government, to minimise the impact on supply chains, of cutting trade ties between the UK and EU, 30% of businesses were still 'not at all prepared' for customs controls, when they were reintroduced in January. Through ... Read more

Post-Brexit changes and demand driving up customs brokerage costs

New post-Brexit customs rules mean extra processes around declaring goods, which is increasing demand for scarce brokerage resources and pushing up the price of imports to the UK. Despite the UK government investing over £700 million in border infrastructure and additional technolog... Read more

UK government funds 11,000 new HGV drivers

HGV driver numbers have shrunk by a quarter since 2019, creating a supply chain crisis that has accelerated post-Brexit, with an estimated shortage of between 40,000 and 100,000 lorry drivers, leaving gaps on shelves and triggering October’s petrol crisis. Transport within the UK, Europe and... Read more

Ports under post-Brexit pressure

The 1st January 2022 changes to UK border policies, with the imposition of customs declaration for imports from the EU, got off to the rockiest of starts when the new supporting IT system, the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS), crashed on day one, with trucks stuck at Calais for four days. ... Read more