The Minister for Opportunities for Brexit plans to permanently digitize all border controls and documents in the midst of the deteriorating cost of living crisis. Mr Rees-Mogg has delayed the next wave of import controls for the fourth time, risking a dispute with ports that have spent millions on building new facilities to inspect goods. A Whitehall source said Mr Rees-Mogg wanted to make the “suspension of physical checks” permanent after he pushed for further checks by the end of 2023. They added that the UK would go through “costly physical checks in the development of our digital border policy that will be much better for supply chains and consumers. “ In a letter to lawmakers this morning, Mr Rees-Mogg said new “administrative burdens” risked further chaos in the supply chain when customers were already paying higher prices for goods. The letter said the UK would “not introduce” border controls, which were due to take effect in early July. Mr Rees-Mogg said a strategy would be published in the autumn to outline an “improved” regime of border import controls. Mr Rees-Mogg wrote in the letter: “As a nation, we are currently facing a number of new challenges, including ongoing supply chain issues – in part as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine – and wider pressures on cost of living”. “New administrative burdens and the risk of disruption in ports and supply chains will exacerbate this situation for businesses and the public.” He said that after discussions with companies, the government had concluded that “now would not be the right time to make further changes to border import controls”. In a statement to the public, Mr Rees-Moggs said: “No further controls on imports of EU products will be introduced this year. “Businesses can stop their preparations for July now.” New controls on UK exports to the EU under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement were carried out immediately after the agreement entered into force in early 2021, but the implementation of reciprocal controls on imports has been repeatedly delayed. Reports last month said the government was investigating further delays. “This new regime will apply equally to goods from the EU and the rest of the world,” he said, adding that these new plans would take effect by the end of 2023.
