Impact not as dramatic as feared, but still many disruptions
Brexit simply hurts The effects after six months of Brexit aren’t as dramatic as feared, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Change (EZK) and Dutch Agriculture and Horticulture Organization LTO Nederland. Still, there is little reason to rejoice. Import levies have been avoided, but the paper mill is growing and with it the delays. And that’s costing a lot of money. “In the run-up to the Brexit, all of us business and government alike - were preparing for the worst. Fortunately, we can conclude that the gloomiest scenarios haven’t come true”, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Economic Affairs stated when asked.
“This is largely due to the thorough preparations made by our business community. But we do continue to reiterate: Brexit isn’t finished with us yet.” The Border Operating Model, for instance, will be phased in over the coming period, with the UK government introducing additional checks on certain goods from the EU from October
The Brexit has dealt a hefty blow to both Dutch and British businesses: 40 percent said they were making less turnover at the beginning of April, according to research by the Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC). The NBCC interviewed 125 companies from both sides of the channel. A large majority of 63 percent are experiencing more hindrance from rules and formalities since Brexit. In the goods sector this is 80 percent. Entrepreneurs mainly mention bureaucracy, higher costs and delays in shipping. The latter is felt particularly when transporting fresh products, which cannot wait too long.
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