- Title: Channel Tunnel tests Brexit readiness with "no deal" dry run
- Date: 17th September 2019
- Summary: CUSTOMS OFFICIAL TALKING TO DRIVER CUSTOMS OFFICIAL HANDING DOCUMENT BACK TO DRIVER, WALKING PAST TRUCKS (SOUNDBITE) (French) DRIVER FOR RDV LOGISTICS COMPANY, STEVEN MEURIN, SAYING: "It's going to be a lot of waiting, a lot of checks, a lot of waiting on both sides - thousands of trucks, queues, hours of waiting and then there's uncertainty because we don't know when it's going to happen. It's keeps being postponed and we're gonna have to get on with it." EUROTUNNEL GOODS TRAIN PASSING BY TRAIN TRUCK DRIVING OFF TRAIN RAMP ROAD SEEN FROM INTERIOR OF TRUCK TRUCK DRIVER, FRANCISCO VALERA, IN CAB SIGN INDICATING WHETHER TRUCK SHOULD FOLLOW GREEN OR ORANGE LINES IN ROAD DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO FURTHER CHECKS VALERA FOLLOWING ORANGE LINE TRUCK PASSING BY CUSTOMS OFFICIALS VALERA SHAKING HANDS WITH EUROTUNNEL WORKER (SOUNDBITE) (French) TRUCK DRIVER, FRANCISCO VALERA, SAYING: "Anyway, if we have to wait, we'll wait, it's part of the job. No, I think it'll be fine, fine. It's no problem. I'm not worried." TRUCK BEING BACKED INTO DEPOT FOR CHECKS VARIOUS OF CUSTOMS OFFICIAL CHECKING PRODUCT IN TRUCK VALERA TALKING TO OFFICIAL VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS LOOKING OVER DOCUMENTS VALERA TALKING MAN APPROACHING DESK WITH PAPERS MAN TALKING TO OFFICIAL DOCUMENT ON DESK (SOUNDBITE) (French) CUSTOMS DIRECTOR FOR THE HAUTS DE FRANCE REGION, ERIC MEUNIER, SAYING: "The French customs authorities have been preparing for almost two years now. We are preparing with staffing, with computerised procedures. The digital frontier is something that has been complex but it works today. That's what we are testing with drills. So, we are confident because we are very prepared." VARIOUS OF TRUCKS LEAVING VAT DOCUMENT CHECKS
- Embargoed: 1st October 2019 15:54
- Keywords: Eurotunnel no-deal Brexit borders customs movement of goods English Channel
- Location: FOLKESTONE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / COQUELLES, FRANCE /
- City: FOLKESTONE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / COQUELLES, FRANCE /
- Country: France
- Topics: European Union,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA003AX1QJWN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Officials at the Channel Tunnel ran a test on Tuesday (September 17) of new customs and health checks at the French-British border that would be necessary in case of a no deal Brexit.
Eurotunnel has spent 15 million euros constructing new facilities including a "pit-stop" at the check-in terminals on either side of the tunnel where trucks would present pre-completed customs declarations to allow Value-added Tax (VAT) to be collected.
Other new border features include a hangar on the European Union (EU) side of the crossing to conduct sanitary checks on any food or animals which officials believe could pose a risk, though no livestock are allowed to travel through the tunnel.
The customs director for the local region - which includes the freight hubs of Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk - described himself as "confident" after authorities had been preparing for two years.
As the clock ticks down to Britain's scheduled exit from the European Union on Oct. 31, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has yet to agree a deal with Brussels.
(Production: Noemie Olive, Johnny Cotton) - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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