UK backtracks – soft Brexit border controls with EU

13th June 2020 / NewsBits

The United Kingdom will delay the introduction of border checks on imports from the European Union by as much as six months in a bid to avoid piling on the pain for British business and choking off vital food supplies.
The UK government on Friday backtracked on plans to impose full border checks on EU imports on January 1, 2021, in the hope of relieving pressure on companies already slammed by the coronavirus and uncertainty over terms of trade with the country’s biggest export market.
As recently as February, just days after Brexit took effect, it had said full controls would be in place to start the new year. Now it’s planning to phase them in, under pressure from a collapsing UK economy and businesses that cannot afford another body blow.
The United Kingdom also confirmed that it will not extend its post-Brexit transition period with the European Union beyond the end of the year, meaning business and retailers may still have to deal with the shock of new tariffs and other trade barriers if a new trade deal with Brussels isn’t finalized in the next few months.

TruePublica