EU-UK: Cabinet Office Minister Gove urges sceptical businesses to embrace 50m GBP customs broker scheme

Source: Financial Times

The government has urged business to take advantage of a £50m grant scheme to boost the training and recruitment of 50,000 new customs brokers for the coming trade border with the EU, despite industry warnings that the scheme is insufficient and “flawed”

Customs, logistics and haulage industry leaders said the drive to expand capacity in the customs sector before border checks come into force in January next year was facing headwinds caused by Covid-19 and the uncertainty around EU-UK trade talks.

“I urge the intermediary sector and businesses to take advantage of the help on offer now,” said Michael Gove, the cabinet office minister, adding that brokers, freight forwarders and express parcel operators will play a “critical role for businesses” from January.

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