Ready for Brexit! Customs Support Group Customer Day 2019.

Image

Last week customers from Customs Support Group gathered in Vlaardingen at the Delta Hotel overlooking the river Maas, with ships full of containers passing by all day. We invited our customers to bring them up to speed on all things regarding Brexit and tell them about how we prepared for it and what we are doing in our offices across Europe to support them with importing and exporting.

Our CEO Frank Weermeijer opened the day and spoke briefly about his connection to boats and shipping, and the benefits of digitisation, about consolidation and a few words about Brexit. Not too many as that was the main topic for our two keynote speakers that day.

Views From Across the Channel

Ian Dudley was up first. Ian is Director of Duty Management Services (Customs Support United Kingdom), who are Customs Support Group’s UK part. Ian has more than 23 years of experience working, with 20 of those spent working for the English Customs Authority. He is an expert when it comes to UK customs matters.

We could think of no one better than Ian to update our customers about the customs side of Brexit from a UK point of view.

Ian touched on the various Brexit options that are currently on the table. Much is still unsure. Will a deal be made, or will the Brexit be hard? Will there be a delay and if so, will it be until January 2020 or the end of 2020 or any other date?

Preparations in the United Kingdom are ongoing. Preparations for more checks at the borders and the logistics that come with that. Transitional procedures to stop import and export to and from the UK coming to a standstill. The feeling of businesses in the United Kingdom is the same as in the European Union. The uncertainty is frustrating for companies on both sides of the Channel. And let's not forget Ireland and the backstop…

Klantendag Customs Support Group 2019

Be prepared for automation

Our second speaker of the day was Martin van Herk, Manager IT  of Customs Support Group. Martin spoke about activities at Customs Support Group and how our customers can and should prepare for Brexit. Next to our step by step preparation plan, he explained the converter tool we have developed to enable our customers to have a smooth transition into new procedures, once Brexit, is finalized.

After this session, Frank closed the session with a short recap and invited our guests to a tour by boat of the Port of Rotterdam, which is even more impressive viewed from the water.

Follow our blog to stay up to date on any developments that impact importing or exporting from and to the United Kingdom for your organization. We will share more details about Brexit as things happen. Our LinkedIn page is a good source of information as well. Do you follow us already?

We thank all customers that attended our Brexit customer day for their contributions to the discussions and inspiring us on a day meant to inform and inspire.

Klantendag Customs Support Group 2019