Trouble at t'mill

[Admiral]

Some friends of ours have happily spent the last 15 years or so running businesses in France - mainly selling French tat (sorry shabby chic furniture etc) to the UK.

Now they tell me they are having massive problems exporting their stuff out of France and business is drying up.  They can't work out which end has the problem.  All they know is the stuff is not moving beyond France.

Anyone got any clues here?  I, and they, thought Brexit was meant to tariff free.  Or are the french being their usual protectionist bureaucratic selves?

As a footnote I read that the long-running Mouse to House delivery service has stopped trading after what seems like decades of life-saving grocery drops of lifes essentials; Marmite, peanut butter etc etc.

They say their demise has been caused by french customs and their love of forms.  

[Fred]

I may be wrong, but if the goods are not leaving France I would say it's something wrong at the UK side and not the French side. I can't see why France would want to stop goods going to the UK, coming in is causing problems for some due to paperwork could they ask their shipping agent ?

As for getting British goods from the UK, we buy HP and Marmite here. Yes it's more expensive than in the UK but there is nothing else we want so it's not worth shipping in British food.

Having said that there is a company doing British food that deliver near Montmorillon Every 4 weeks to Civray, La Dorat, Bellac and Bussiere but I have not used them. https://www.thetradingpost.fr/

[Brian]

That's very sad to hear.

It could well be due to the requirement to fill in many forms and comply with third country import regulations.

Here's the short version:
While many exports to the UK are tariff-free, there is now a whole host of regulations. For every item you have to specify the origin, materials used, age, type of object. These have to be referenced against UK HMRC sheets using the correct code for every item. If the shipment doesn't have the correct paperwork it tends to get stuck in a shed at Dover until you pay to have it returned to you.

I used to sell a modest amount of my wood objects in the UK but I've now stopped as exporting a single 40€ bowl would need about 2 hours worth of paperwork. An order to a shop of say 30 items would mean spending 2 or 3 days just filling in forms.

It is a complete disaster, frankly.

Brian

[Steve]

Sorry, but too many people associate the term "tariff free" with "free from documentation" - very, very far from the truth.

As for MtH, their main issue is with the EU requirement for specific documentation when trading with third countries. These rules have been in place for decades and the problem MtH have is that they don't cannot produce the necessary phyto and sanitary certification for the goods they are transporting. They did approach UK forwarding (customs) agents, none of whom were willing to touch their trade with the proverbial bargepole.

[Brian]

Here's the Mouse to House statement about their predicament.

[Clubby]

Here's the Mouse to House statement about their predicament.

A shame to see a small company go out of business but rather harsh comments on the Brexit voters, I thought.
It's not the Voters who make the policies.

[Admiral]

Here's the Mouse to House statement about their predicament.

A shame to see a small company go out of business but rather harsh comments on the Brexit voters, I thought.
It's not the Voters who make the policies.

Agreed.  That Mouse to House statement does make sad reading.

I also agree with Clubby - don't have a go at people who voted for Brexit.  They didn't realise what a vipers nest of regulation the EU is.

And before anyone asks; I did NOT vote in the Brexit referendum simply because La Poste failed to get the ballot papers delivered in time.

[Trouble and strife]

Great shame about mouse to house especially for the people laid off.  
Has anybody brought any personnel furniture across lately ?  The removals companies are having to go through agents which is adding an extra £250 to the costs. Also you have do an inventory of every box packed. If doing a DIY removal an inventory is also required plus much form filling. And apparently if cannot prove it is your personnel belongings 20% tax will be charged. 

that's my gripe for the day over going to sit in the garden put on a Charles Aznavour record and dream of better times.