Current Affairs EU In or Out

[Bluerover]

We also had major issues recruiting Vet staff, one of the first "pushbacks" of the implementation date actually came from the EU due to them being unable to recruit OV's. That, obviously, impacted the UK as well as there was literally no OV's anywhere (in fact, I think I mentioned this a couple of years back when Farage was on the radio).

The other impact was the lack of suitable qualified Environmental Health/Port Health Officers; the UK implements Official Controls differently with OV's taking sole responsibility for POAO products with the exception of fishery products. These are the responsibility of EHO/PHO's, along with Organic imports and all FNAO products imported under 2017/625. The lack of suitably qualified staff created an open market, with agency staff quoting in excess of £100 per hour (compared to a salary of £35k a year). On top of this, we also had to lobby the FSA and the CIEH (Charted Institute of Environmental Health) to change their requirements on what qualifies as a PHO. The stringent requirement, basically aimed at protecting the EHO status, made the recruitment almost impossible. Ports were looking at in excess of 1000 staff being employed to cover all the new BCP's.

The infrastructure was also an issue for the UK. Major Ports like Liverpool, London, Felixstowe, Southampton all had existing BCPs, not large enough to deal with an increase in EU goods, but at least there was something. Major entry points at places like Dover, Eurotunnel, Harwich, Plymouth, North East Lincs had no infrastructure at all. These have, and are continuing to, be built to ensure compliance with the regs.

There was also the issue of IPAFFS, building a brand new system to deal with border notifications has been a nightmare. Once we left, Traces got cut off.

All this time, money and we still haven't conducted a single check on an EU Product. Everything is going past the border, unchecked and we have no idea what is being imported from the EU.

Wow. A nightmare mate.

TRACES is a complicated system and takes time to learn, but when it works it works very well. I didn't think about UK losing access - is this also the case for NI or do they still have access under the Protocol?

Really glad I am retired and not tearing my hair out with these issues. My last manager, a decent guy, and D/CVO texted me lately to say I left at the right time!!

 

[nsno-chris]

Wow. A nightmare mate.

TRACES is a complicated system and takes time to learn, but when it works it works very well. I didn't think about UK losing access - is this also the case for NI or do they still have access under the Protocol?

Really glad I am retired and not tearing my hair out with these issues. My last manager, a decent guy, and D/CVO texted me lately to say I left at the right time!!

They still use TRACES, the border is essentially the Irish Sea. I must admit, after being involved with the IPAFFS project from the start it is a lot better than I first anticipated. Its far more user friendly, however it missing some major elements which TRACES had.

I know from previous meetings with HMG (A couple of years back), and part of working group i currently sit on, the UK is looking to move away from the current % based approach for POAO physical checks. We are pushing for a more risk based approach as to not penalise certain countries who have outstanding compliance with the regs.

 

[peteblue]

I really loved it until 2016 when i was at what I regard as the height of happiness at home and at work. My job then changed - at the request of the Sec Gen for whom I had the greatest respect. He had been my manager for three years before he got the top job and we worked really well together - and I found myself reporting to the manager from hell.

My mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia in Jan 2017, my wife with C in July 2018 and by May 2020 I was just exhausted. I hated going to work where before I bounced out of bed.

The three years and a few months from Dec 2016 to May 2020 were horrible. Incredible how one bully can destroy a person. Anyway, I can now enjoy retirement albeit I know I could have continued to contribute from my experience had I not ended up with this muppet.

TBH, I loved the tete-a tete debates and meetings with EU in my earlier jobs. From Social Welfare to Health to Agriculture, yes, I have a lot of interesting experiences. I had nothing but good experiences with our own Ministers although I had some difficult meetings with a Minister of another Department - no names no pack drill!! An absolute galoot.

Do I miss it? To a degree, but I do not miss 2017-2020 which ultimately damaged me. Annoying that a career that began in 1984 should be prematurely ended by an anal micro managing sly bullying *****.

Enjoy your retirement mate. Life is for living and there are more important things in life than work…..

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Again, another good idea that has been absolutely butchered on implementation by the EU. Not only does the requirement include a certificate for each catch but the certificates are not auditable. Its well known throughout the majority of BCP's that vessels are reusing the same certificates over and over again, totally negating the point of the regs; which is to manage the fisheries.

The level of bureaucracy within the EU has, and will continue to be, over the top. Like I said the other day, the idea is great, the implementation is awful

It does feel quite often that Brexiters assume that remain voters think everything about the EU is wonderful, when the reality is that there is much that could be improved. The more realistic perspective I sense is that most remain voters accept its flaws and believe that either the project is worth persevering with or that the benefits outweigh the costs (or both), whereas leave voters want to throw away the good stuff because of sometimes maddening bureaucracy.

 

[Bluerover]

It does feel quite often that Brexiters assume that remain voters think everything about the EU is wonderful, when the reality is that there is much that could be improved. The more realistic perspective I sense is that most remain voters accept its flaws and believe that either the project is worth persevering with or that the benefits outweigh the costs (or both), whereas leave voters want to throw away the good stuff because of sometimes maddening bureaucracy.

Nail on head mate. To shut Ireland off from the EU tariff free market would be madness. Meanwhile Civil Servants have to put up with stoney faced EU officials and try to keep things moving.

I enjoyed the challenge although often it was difficult, there is no doubt that the benefits outweigh the negatives.

If we get anything wrong and there is an audit which has findings, the financial penalties are potentially hundreds of millions. Thankfully, in my time we managed to placate them for minor issues, but it took a lot of time and a lot of energy, when we really could have been doing more constructive things

 

[nsno-chris]

It does feel quite often that Brexiters assume that remain voters think everything about the EU is wonderful, when the reality is that there is much that could be improved. The more realistic perspective I sense is that most remain voters accept its flaws and believe that either the project is worth persevering with or that the benefits outweigh the costs (or both), whereas leave voters want to throw away the good stuff because of sometimes maddening bureaucracy.

Totally, IMO the principle is good but over the years its became something not it was never intended to be. As such, layers and layers of bureaucracy have been added. It just needed a bit of a slight reset, finding things that work well and remove those that don't

The long term damage the EU Exit has caused to this country will be felt by generations.

 

[sbbefc]

It does feel quite often that Brexiters assume that remain voters think everything about the EU is wonderful, when the reality is that there is much that could be improved. The more realistic perspective I sense is that most remain voters accept its flaws and believe that either the project is worth persevering with or that the benefits outweigh the costs (or both), whereas leave voters want to throw away the good stuff because of sometimes maddening bureaucracy.

I'm certainly within this camp. Personally I find EU flag wavers just as cringeworthy as the Union Jack shaggers. Part of the reason remain lost the vote. It was very hard to get people to passionately campaign for it and there's not much artistic licence to paint a utopian future. "the EU isn't ideal but it's better than leaving" is hardly a catchy slogan.

 

[Methuselah]

Ukraine aren't in the EU mate.

They were just about the largest grain producers in Europe until Russia intervened. Don't think Germany and France are doing too badly out of it, apart from financing it too. Try reading the news.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

They were just about the largest grain producers in Europe until Russia intervened. Don't think Germany and France are doing too badly out of it, apart from financing it too. Try reading the news.

What sources do you use for your news?

 

[Neiler]

They were just about the largest grain producers in Europe until Russia intervened. Don't think Germany and France are doing too badly out of it, apart from financing it too. Try reading the news.

I repeat Ukraine aren’t in the EU mate.

 

[Jebus_lives]

What sources do you use for your news?

Telegraph I suspect

 

[Methuselah]

I repeat Ukraine aren’t in the EU mate.

I am totally clueless as to what your comment is supposed to mean.

 

[Jebus_lives]

I am totally clueless as to what your comment is supposed to mean.

I think he means to say:

Ukraine (the country) is not a member of the political and economic union of countries referred to as the European Union (EU).

 

[Blue 1]

Another benefit of Brexit? Anyone know if this is for real?

 

[Jebus_lives]