New Revenue practices on Customs declarations causing chaos for hauliers.
The organisation representing the licensed road haulage sector in Ireland the Irish Road Haulage association has called on the Government to urgently intervene to require the Revenue Commissioners to adapt and modify new Customs practices brought in following Brexit. The IRHA said that the new Customs procedures for hauliers arriving into Irish ports are seriously problematical and currently unworkable.
In a letter sent to Trade Minister, Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar and the Finance Minister, Paschal Donohoe, the IRHA President Eugene Drennan pointed out that hauliers are now facing in excess of 8 new checks or customs requirements since 1 January 2020. The manner in which some of these requirements are being imposed by the Customs and Excise is not practical and not working. Specifically a requirement for hauliers to log onto the Customs and Excise website 30 minutes before arriving in Irish Ports to see if they need to undergo an inspection is deeply flawed and not working in practice. It ignores technical and practical obstacles for drivers accessing the Revenue website as a vessel approaches Irish waters.
Though the relaxing of the security and safety declaration on a temporary bases to day should help in the creation of the PBN number . This measure on its own is not enough the systems need to be simplified ,and the Irish and UK systems need to talk to each other.
Eugene Drennan, the President of the IRHA commented;
“The Government needs to urgently look at how the current Customs practices are operating since Brexit took effect. In particular the current processes and requirements are presenting a burdensome obstacle to licensed hauliers who are trying to keep supply channels moving. They need certainty when they are leaving ships in Irish ports and not to be caught up in red tape and bureaucracy. The Government need to direct the Revenue Commissioners to review existing Custom’s practices for hauliers arriving in Irish ports.
“ Unless these challenges are addressed there will be utter carnage when trade volumes return to normal levels. The Revenue Commissioner need to ensure that the significant changes brought about since Brexit are implemented in a way that facilitates rather than frustrates compliance.”
The IRHA has requested the Tánaiste and Minister Donohoe to urgently intervene to resolve these problems and prevent any unnecessary disruption to trade.