‘ACT now and Prepare to Switch’ — that’s the message to the logistics and maritime transport sectors from the IMDO as the prospect of a disorderly Brexit looms.

The two-part strategy for stakeholders begins with ACT, or Assess, Communicate, Trial.

As highlighted by the Government since 2018, Irish industry needs to assess supply chains to avoid disruption on the UK landbridge from 1 January 2021.

There is maritime capacity available on both existing and new services to transport goods directly to Continental Europe across different modalities (RO/RO, CON/RO, LO/LO), which represent reliable alternatives to the landbridge.

Now is also the time to communicate your requirements to shipping companies.

There are multiple options to avail of new routes and new services. If there is a level of demand, shipping companies have demonstrated that they will respond to exporters’ needs — the latest being CLdN, which has indicated it can “dramatically” increase its direct services to the Continent if need be.

The next step is trial — work now with your logistics provider or shipping companies to trial new options well in advance of any changes after the Brexit transition period ends.

Stakeholders should Prepare to Switch to direct services to the Continent to protect their route to market and avoid disruption on the UK landbridge. This is especially important if:

• Your supply chain needs a lead in time to make alternative arrangements on the Continent;
• Your produce is time-sensitive;
• Customs procedures will cause unmanageable delays and costs to your business;
• There is a risk to your business in switching routes and this needs to be trialled well in advance.

For more information on planning for Brexit, see gov.ie/Brexit

The Royal Yachting Association is hosting a free webinar this Wednesday 14 October at 4pm to share news on its latest lobbying activities over Brexit.

Representatives from the RYA’s cruising and legal and government affairs teams will cover the latest communications with the UK Government on the Brexit-related subjects that RYA members are most concerned about.

These including cruising access to the Schengen Area, the Return Goods Relief for boats, the validity of sailing qualifications in the European Union and changes to border controls.

Registration for this free one-hour webinar is open now.

The Cabinet has heard that Dublin Port is not yet ready for the looming Brexit deadline and needs another inspection facility.

On Tuesday Ministers discussed how prepared Irish ports and airports are infrastructurally. The Cabinet was told that while airports were on target, and Rosslare Port is also prepared, an inspection facility is still needed in Dublin Port.

Minister were updated on the looming Brexit deadline and a number of “high-level risks” that have been identified, including potential delays and blockages at UK ports for Irish operators.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney is due to introduce a new Brexit omnibus Bill in the coming weeks to prepare Ireland for the changes that will arise at the end of the transition period.The Bill will consist of 21 parts under the remit of 11 Ministers.

The Irish Times reports also on the Climate Action Bill.

Post-Brexit fishing rights were high on the agenda at a “crunch” summit yesterday (Saturday 3 October) between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The Guardian reports on the EU’s warming to the idea of an annual agreement on share of catch, as mooted in the UK’s new negotiation paper — which offers a three-year transition period for EU fishing fleets — and following a fisheries deal reached with Norway last week.

Britain is now pushing that deal as a model for its post-Brexit relationship with the EU over fishing rights and quotas.

France remains opposed to the suggestion over fears that failure to reach agreement on annual allowable catches could destroy the livelihoods of its own coastal fishing communities.

But it’s understood Prime Minster Boris Johnson is hopeful that French President Emmanuel Macron — who is said to have isolated himself from other EU heads of state over his hardline stance on fisheries — will acquiesce to Britain’s new demands in order to secure a much-needed UK-EU trade deal.

The Guardian has much more on the story HERE.

British boaters face a choice between extra costs rising into four figures or seeing their vessels being stranded in the EU after the end of the Brexit transition period, unless the UK Government acts now.

That was the warning in a joint statement issued yesterday (Thursday 1 October) by the RYA and British Marine, which castigated Whitehall officials for failing to provide guidance and transitional arrangements despite the mater being raised more than three years ago.

The two organisations say their understanding is that Returned Goods Relief (RGR) will only be available for goods returning to the UK provided RGR conditions are met, and that the goods must have been exported from the UK and returned within three years of export.

RGR has not yet been incorporated into UK law and HM Revenue and Customs confirmed last month, after what the RYA and British Marine said was “an unacceptable delay”, that it “would not in fact be universally available”.

This will mean that, after the transition period, all boat owners established in the UK whose boats have not been in the UK in the last three years will likely have to pay VAT for a second time if they want to bring their boats back to UK waters.

The same issue will also “create turmoil” in the UK’s second-hand boat market, which is already fighting to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

RYA and British Marine are now calling on the UK Government to commit to transitional VAT and import duty relief for UK boat owners bringing vessels back from the EU until the end of 2023.

“Having waited over a year for HMRC to agree to a meeting, we assumed that HMRC officials would be in a position to definitively tell us what the UK legislation will be from the end of the transition period on 31 December,” said the RYA’s Howard Pridding.

“Regrettably, the meeting gave the RYA and British Marine no confidence that there is an understanding of the recreational boating market and that any of the issues we have raised are being given appropriate consideration by HMRC.”

British Marine chief executive Lesley Robinson added: “This is now a serious situation and it will create turmoil in the second-hand boat market. For UK brokers and distributors in the marine industry there remains doubt and confusion as to where they stand.

“There is a high probability that current VAT-paid boats (that will no longer have EU27 VAT-paid status after Brexit) will be devalued and become less attractive to buyers, which will impact businesses and ultimately jobs in the industry.”

European fishing fleets could get a three-year transition period to prepare for Britain to have greater control of its waters post-Brexit, if a last-minute offer made in current trade negotiations helps to seal the deal.

The Guardian reports on the new negotiation paper from the UK, which includes concessions for EU coastal communities that fish in British waters to phase down their activities.

Following this, the UK has suggested that it and the EU would agree annually on percentages of fish stocks shared between their economic zones, and base quotas on these figures.

On the EU side, one diplomat says “it doesn’t look like fisheries will stand in the way of an agreement”. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney also spoke positively of reaching a deal.

However, France is pushing to retain the status quo amid fears that failure to reach agreement on annual allowable catches could destroy the livelihoods of its own coastal fishing communities.

The Guardian has more on the story HERE.

Ireland’s status as an island nation makes the future of our fishing industry of critical importance post-Brexit, the newly appointed Marine Minister has urged in Brussels.

Minister Charlie McConalogue was speaking after his meeting yesterday (Tuesday 22 September) with EU Fisheries Commissioner Virginius Sinkevičius to discuss the state of play regarding fisheries in overall Brexit negotiations.

The minister said he made it very clear that Ireland’s fishing industry is in a particularly precarious position, as Ireland shares its main fish stocks and its waters on three sides with the United Kingdom.

He also emphasised that any outcome in future negotiations that results in a loss of quota share for the European Union would cause permanent damage to Ireland’s fishing industry.

“The negotiating team must follow the EU mandate and defend existing quota shares and access arrangements, by linking the overall economic partnership and the conclusion of a fishing agreement to the fullest extent,” Minister McConalogue said.

He expressed confidence that Brussels would continue to defend Irish and EU fishing interests, and relayed the message from the Irish fishing industry that unity and co-operation are vital among European institutions and member states.

Minister McConalogue added: “I was very glad to meet Commissioner Sinkevičius [yesterday] and outline the negative social and economic impacts for fishing and coastal communities in Ireland, if a fair and balanced Fisheries Agreement is not reached with the UK.

“I welcome the opportunity to continue this close engagement with Commissioner Sinkevičius going forward.”

What has Brexit got to do with your winter sails service this year? Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland, explains the situation and why it’s such an urgent matter.

Dear customers, I want to let you know it’s really urgent if you need your sails washed and laundered to get them into us ASAP. The issue is Brexit, and specifically tariffs that will apply in the New Year without a trade deal in place.

If you need your sails washed, they need to go to Tiptop in England who are the only people who wash sails properly to UK Sailmakers’ standards. To get them washed and cleaned and back to Ireland before the Brexit tariffs will be applied after 1 January, time is now running out.

I know the season has been short and your sails haven’t been used much. But the service team at UK Sailmakers Ireland have the space and knowledge to get them serviced correctly and at the right price. Our team at the loft check every detail of your sail, making sure it’s ready for the new season.

Being mindful of the delayed season start with COVID-19 and associated restrictions, now as we get to the end of the season it’s more urgent than ever to get your sails in for service. Doing so now gives you the best option to be in early for the next season and make the most of 2021.

We are the most experienced people in the business at servicing your sails and have been doing so for more than 50 years, getting your every detail right so you can enjoy your coming season sailing. We have the space to stretch out your sail, fully hang it up to repair and replace a full UV cover, giving your sail the greatest longevity possible.

Contact UK Sails service manager [email protected] 

Michael Gove, UK minister responsible for no-deal planning, has written to logistics groups with the government's "reasonable worst-case scenario" planning, which warns of possible two-day delays for cargo travelling to France in January.

The Cabinet Office document states that, in its reasonable worst-case scenario, between 30-50% of trucks crossing the English Channel will not be ready for the new regulations coming into force on 1 January 2021.

A "lack of capacity to hold unready trucks at French ports" could also reduce the flow of traffic across the strait to 60-80% of normal levels.

"This could lead to maximum queues of 7,000 port bound trucks in Kent and associated maximum delays of up to two days," the documents said.

Such delays could be in place for at least three months, hauliers have been warned, as alternative routes are sought and supply chains get to grips with the new systems and requirements.

RTE News has more on this trade-congestion scenario. 

In the UK the Government, according to Belfast Telegraph, is set to pay for work on post-Brexit port checks in Northern Ireland, DAERA Minister Edwin Poots has said.

The DUP MLA told the BBC that the UK Government would now pay for the work after he reportedly proposed pausing it due to the current political uncertainty around Brexit.

In the summer, the Government said enhanced regulatory checks would be required on animals and food products crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the terms of the Brexit deal.

The Executive assumed a legal responsibility to undertake the work for the Government to enable it to fulfil its international obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement.

However, Mr Poots expressed a reluctance to commit an estimated £40m to the project without further clarity. Click for more here.