TruckandTrackSummer2020

www.truckandtrack.com Summer 2020 Truck and Track 41 TELEMATICS customs clearances the Brexit transition period and trucks that need to travel through those bottlenecks will face huge delays. Any clearances that can be moved inland will benefit supply chains greatly, especially those looking to quickly clear and distribute or sell products on. Many organisations operate with JIT arrival of parts on trucks. Having the uncertainty of delays at the border will have a big impact on their ability to do this, increasing costs and revenue loss. There will still be certain product categories that will require clearance checks at the border for safety reasons, such as meat and dairy products. But bymoving asmany clearance checks as possible inland not only speeds up the process for those vehicles that can go straight to the ETSF, but also unlocks efficiencies for those that will still have to complete clearances at the border. A win-win for those companies that transport different items across multiple categories. Currently, there are a huge number of businesses that import from the EU and therefore don’t have to worry about customs clearances, but once the transition period is over, they will be faced with significant changes. The sheer volume of products crossing the border that will be hit with delays due to newly imposed procedures and paperwork will create significant knock-on challenges and potential costs for the wider supply chain. Businesses therefore need to take back control of their own clearances, create efficiencies where they can ahead of time so that once the transition period ends, they will be in an optimum position to maintain business continuity and control cost. Don’t get caught out With time counting down to the end of the Brexit transition period, businesses are doing what they can to prepare now ahead of 31st December 2020. Like many processes, setting up an ETSF does require applications and approvals which can take time. Any warehouse keeper that is approved for customs warehousing, which could be virtually any importer, can apply to have premises approved as an ETSF. Premises would need to be checked and approved, inspection areas setup and an inventory provider nominated. But this needn’t be a challenge for those that prepare now and work with a provider that can support the setup process in line with the inventory system that connects straight to HMRC. Using an ETSF has been a well established solution for many years, but the changes coming into place as a result of Brexit will mean that it is nowmore applicable and necessary for a large majority of businesses. Brexit has causedmuch uncertainty, and an ETSF could be themost efficient way of taking back control to introduce some certainty for many businesses. With supply chains severely impacted by the current Covid-19 pandemic, businesses cannot afford to risk any further future disruptions. At least with Brexit, businesses have the time to prepare for the end of the transition, something we all wish we had had with Covid-19. Pol Sweeney, VP Sales and Country Manager UK, Descartes www.descartes.com