More than two years ago, this was one of the hottest topics of discussion: Brexit and especially its consequences. This could seriously affect Dutch and Dutch trade in particular. One of the merchants said devotion About his uncertainty at the time: Will my flowers and plants still be on the boat?
The answer now: “We still get our plants and flowers to the other side quickly,” says Ivo van Rijn of flower merchant Duyvenvoorde from Honselersdijk. Brexit didn't cost his company any sales, and he kept all his British clients. This is related to the overall picture. “The negative consequences of Brexit were not so bad,” says economist Aage van Huesling of ABN AMRO.
However, it has become difficult for companies to do business with the UK. And this at a time when there was a lot going on: Covid, rising energy prices, staff shortages. “Brexit is not helping combat these crises,” says Anton Falk of the Dutch-British Chamber of Commerce, a trade association for companies doing business in both countries.
Each load is pre-tested
Since 1 January 2021, when Brexit became a reality after a transition year, the border between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom has reopened. This is difficult for companies in the service sector, because it is now less easy for them to “change” employees. But it's also difficult for companies that make their money through commerce.
For example, the transportation of Van Rijns plants must meet strict requirements. The British are terrified that diseases or pests, such as whiteflies, will be transmitted with these plants. Therefore each load must be pre-tested by an external company. If approved, the load will receive a certificate and the plants can be transported. This leads to hassle, delays and additional costs, says Van Rijn.
It takes careful planning to get flowers and plants to England quickly. What doesn't help is that UK Customs sometimes doesn't communicate clearly about requirements.
“Small, independent SMEs export less to the UK than before Brexit. But this does not apply or applies less to larger companies,” says Rogier Spuel of Evofenedex, the trade association for services companies. Logistics: “Small businessmen fear the administrative hassles surrounding trade with England and prefer to focus on EU countries.”
Spuel says Dutch companies and Dutch customs were well prepared for Brexit. But it's different on the British side. British customs can be slow, which means that the export of British goods to the Netherlands, especially food, does not always go smoothly.
Brexit was not the disaster some feared
So far, Brexit has not become the disaster some feared. The Central Bureau of Statistics reported last summer that Dutch merchandise exports in 2021 were 20 percent higher than in 2019. Dutch machinery in particular was in high demand on the other side of the North Sea. But perishable goods such as meat, vegetables, fruits and flowers also sold well there in 2021.
What is striking, says Van Huisling of ABN AMRO, is that re-exports to the UK fell sharply: goods from abroad that would normally be transported to the UK via the Netherlands went there without any Dutch detour after Brexit. From the European Union. The fact that exporters want to avoid downtime because trade with the UK has become more complex is a possible explanation for this. Otherwise they will have to pay import duties twice: first in the Netherlands, then in the United Kingdom.
However, Falk and Spaul warn that Brexit could cause additional problems. Falk: “In Great Britain, there are still four thousand laws and regulations introduced by the European Union in force. They want to get rid of that.” This may mean that the requirements imposed by the United Kingdom and the European Union on food and other products will diverge further. In addition, In addition, the British will carry out their own quality checks at the end of 2023, for example for flowers and other fresh products, and this may lead to new delays and administrative burdens.
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