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Endangered species considerations DHL: facing up to the
challenges ahead
At DHL, the mood is a little
less than cheerful.
“We are disappointed
that the uncertainty around
Brexit continues, leaving
business faced with significant
challenges,” comments
Thomas Mack, Global Head
of Air Freight, DHL Global
Forwarding.
“As a global business,
Deutsche Post DHL Group
is used to adapting to
changing conditions in
cross-border trade. Over the
past 14 months, we have
been working on various
contingency plans and made
a number of investments
to mitigate the potential
challenges that we see ahead
of us.
“Brexit however, is
presenting all companies with
exceptional challenges and we
have been considering various
scenarios in this very fluid
political environment. We
are working closely with our
customers, and remain fully
committed to supporting their
cross-border trade post-Brexit
to minimise disruption where
possible.”
BIFA’s Keen flags up another aspect of the exit process.
“One of the consequences of Brexit will be that freight forwarders and customs
agents will become involved in regimes with which they may not have been
previously. One such area is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES), which is much wider ranging than people might have thought.
“BIFA Members expressed their concerns about how the movement of products
covered by this regime, which are manufactured in the EU and currently freely
imported into the UK, might be affected post-Brexit. BIFA sought greater guidance
from DEFRA, which resulted in a well-attended regional meeting in Dover.
“Following that meeting, the government department issued further and
broader guidance to be used in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal,
which sets out how people who trade in, travel with, or handle the shipment of
endangered animals, plants or products thereof would be affected.
“The guidance includes further information on the list of CITES-designated
ports, including specific guidance for ro-ro services.”
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