BRITAIN has been warned to expect major turbulence this week as it exits the comfort of the transition period and is hit by a wave of EU red tape.
Michael Gove admitted there would be “some disruption” for travellers and businesses as the country ended its 47-year membership of the Euro club.
The Cabinet Office Minister, with a deal of understatement, said there would be some “bumpy moments” as the 11-month transition period ended and the full reality of Brexit finally took shape.
His comments came as ambassadors from the EU27 unanimously approved the provisional application of the historic UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement, without tariffs or quotas and worth some £670 billion, and as MPs and peers prepared to vote on it tomorrow. With Labour’s support, it should pass comfortably. The European Parliament is expected to ratify it next month.
UK businesses are being encouraged to make sure they understand the new rules on the importing and exporting of goods, including the different rules that apply to trade with Northern Ireland, and to consider how they will make customs declarations on trade with the EU27.
It emerged online shoppers who buy items from the EU valued at more than £390 will from this week have to pay customs duties. Handling fees and VAT could also apply on some items. This means that parcels face being held up in post offices until those fees and duties have been paid.
Mr Gove encouraged travellers to EU destinations from Friday to make sure they had at least six months left on their passports, took out comprehensive travel insurance and checked their mobile phone provider's roaming charges.
He said: “I'm sure there will be bumpy moments but we are there to try to do everything we can to smooth the path."
The minister warned businesses that time was now "very short" to make the final preparations before the transition period came to a close at 11pm on Thursday.
"The nature of our new relationship with the EU - outside the Single Market and Customs Union - means that there are practical and procedural changes that businesses and citizens need to get ready for.
"We know that there will be some disruption as we adjust to new ways of doing business with the EU, so it is vital that we all take the necessary action now," he added.
But Mr Gove’s words were denounced by Labour and the SNP.
Rachel Reeves, his Labour Shadow, said: “The Government is treating its own incompetence as inevitable.
"There is no reason why the deal the Government ended up with had to be run so close to the wire, nor why this period must be bumpy had the Government prepared properly.
"But, instead, they refused to engage with business on preparations and dodged repeated questions from Labour for months on how many customs agents were recruited and ready, and what IT systems are properly in place.
"They should behave like grown-ups and take responsibility for governance," added Ms Reeves.
Alison Thewliss for the SNP described Mr Gove’s comments about disruption and bumpy moments as the “understatement of the century,” warning the country would be faced with a “mountain of extra costs, red tape and barriers to trade”.
The Glasgow MP declared: “The Tory Government is wilfully damaging people's jobs, businesses and the economy at the worst possible time during a global pandemic and economic recession.”
She argued a hard Tory Brexit could cut Scotland's GDP by as much as 6.1 per cent and cost the nation £9 billion, the equivalent of £1,600 per person.
“It's no wonder the Tories are desperate to rush it through with as little scrutiny as possible,” Ms Thewliss insisted.
The SNP’s Treasury spokeswoman added: "People across Scotland and the UK will also see their EU benefits gradually stripped away, including our precious freedom of movement rights to live, work, study and travel freely across Europe, and will be hit with increased costs, including travel insurance and roaming charges.
"If people and businesses are unprepared it is because the Tories have left it to the last minute on their own arbitrary deadline and are now imposing a hard Brexit, causing months of uncertainty for those that rely on our relationship with the EU.”
As part of the preparation for Brexit proper, an agreement has been reached for a Dumfries and Galloway airfield to be used by hundreds of lorries in case of any post-Brexit disruption at Cairnryan port.
The Scottish Government has signed a lease with Stair Estates, owner of Castle Kennedy airfield in Stranraer, beginning on Friday as part of Operation Overflow, a contingency plan developed by Transport Scotland and partners including Police Scotland, P&O and Stena.
Up to 240 goods vehicles can park at the site with welfare facilities if port capacity is too high as freight continues to travel between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Michael Matheson, the Scottish Government’s Transport Secretary, said: “At this stage we do not expect a significant increase in traffic or delays at Cairnryan, but it is essential that we are prepared for every eventuality.”
As Westminster prepares for a landmark vote on the trade deal, it emerged that most of Northern Ireland’s 18 MPs are not expected to back it.
The DUP said its eight MPs would vote against the agreement nor will the SDLP’s two backbenchers or the Alliance Party’s sole representative.
The region’s remaining seven seats are held by Sinn Fein, whose MPs historically never taken their places in the Commons.
In a statement, the DUP said its MPs would vote against the deal “as a point of principle” and “not because we supported a no-deal option”.
Earlier this week, the SNP made clear it would oppose the trade deal, which, it claimed, would be disastrous for Scotland.
Ian Blackford, the party’s leader at Westminster, described the agreement as an "unforgiveable act of economic vandalism and gross stupidity".
He added: "This is a very bad deal for Scotland, which will terminate our membership of the EU, rip us out of the world's largest single market and customs union, end our freedom of movement rights, and impose mountains of red tape, added costs and barriers to trade for Scottish businesses.”
But Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader, took the Nationalists to task, branding them hypocrites.
"Yet again Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are putting their own narrow self-interest above those of our country,” declared the Moray MP.
"In doing so, they expose their rank hypocrisy. They have spent months loudly warning about no-deal yet now they are going to vote for exactly that.
"They are willing to risk Scottish jobs and the economy for political posturing. It’s reckless and pathetic and Scotland deserves far better than that," he added.
As with the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments, it was announced that members at Stormont will convene on Wednesday to discuss the trade deal.
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