UK’s new EU relationship ‘running smoothly’ as Brexit deal comes into force

– Boris Johnson said Britain now has the chance to ‘transform our country’– French president Emmanuel Macron condemned Brexit as the product of ‘many lies and false promises’

A new chapter in the UK’s “national story” has begun, as the first lorries cross into France following the end of the Brexit transition period.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain had “taken back control of our money, our laws and our waters” after the nation officially left the European Union trading structures at 11pm on New Year’s Eve.

There will be inevitable disruption as a result of the increased bureaucracy between the UK and its largest trading partner, but there was little sign on Friday of the chaos some had feared.

Lower trade volumes on the New Year’s Day bank holiday could mean the full impact of the new regime is yet to be felt, but freight appeared to be moving freely at the borders with Ireland and France under the new arrangements.

Britain’s ambassador to France Lord Llewellyn tweeted that things were “running smoothly” as he visited the port at Calais and the Eurotunnel terminal “to see the situation on the ground”.

“Happy New Year to all the teams on both sides of the Channel working on New Year’s Day,” he added.

Meanwhile, an official from Dublin Port said there were no delays as the first trucks arrived into Irish ports.

Tom Talbot, head of customs operations in Dublin Port, said there was a low volume of trucks on the first ferry into Dublin.

He said: “The first trucks from Britain post-Brexit arrived in Rosslare Europort and Dublin Port this morning. As we expected, the freight was very low given the time of year and given where we are.”

However, he added: “It probably won’t be until next week before we see an increase in volume of trucks coming into the various ports.”

Brexit Lorries Parked on M20: In Pictures

1/27

Mr Johnson said the decision to leave the single market and customs union ended a “47-year experiment” of European Union membership.

He said the EU had provided the UK with a “safe European home” during the 1970s, but the country has now “changed out of all recognition” with global perspectives.

The UK is “free to do things differently, and if necessary better, than our friends in the EU” in 2021, he said in a video message to mark New Year.

Meanwhile, France’s president Emmanual Macron struck a different note in his own New Year’s Eve message.

Adressing the French people, he said Britain would remain a friend and ally but insisted Brexit was the product of “many lies and false promises”.

“A few days ago, we reached an agreement to organise our future relations, defending our interests, our industries, our fishermen and our unity,” he told his compatriots in a televised statement.

“The United Kingdom remains our neighbour but also our friend and ally. This choice of leaving Europe, this Brexit, was the child of European malaise and lots of lies and false promises,” he added.

Brexit: UK's final day in EU

1/33

As well as the Christmas Eve deal with Brussels, the UK has reached several agreements with non-EU countries – such as Japan – to ensure continuity of trading arrangements for British companies from January 1.

Mr Johnson, writing in the Daily Telegraph, said the “great new deal” with the EU honours the “most basic promises” of the 2016 referendum, and added that the UK has “taken back control of our money, our laws and our waters”.

“And yet it is also the essence of this treaty that it provides certainty for UK business and industry, because it means that we can continue to trade freely – with zero tariffs and zero quotas – with the EU.”

In a sign that the UK will break away from the EU rules it inherited, Mr Johnson said: “We need the Brexit-given chance to turbocharge those sectors in which we excel, to do things differently and to do them better.”

Ireland’s foreign minister, Simon Coveney, said the change in trading arrangements with the UK will inevitably cause disruption.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We’re now going to see the 80 billion euro (£71.2 billion) worth of trade across the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland disrupted by an awful lot more checks and declarations, and bureaucracy and paperwork, and cost and delay.”

Ferry operator Stena Line said six freight loads destined for Ireland had been turned away at Holyhead due to incorrect paperwork.

“Scotland will be back soon, Europe. Keep the light on,” she said.

Scottish voters did not back Brexit and the First Minister views it as a major issue in her campaign to break away from the UK.

Under the new arrangements, freedom of movement rights end and, while UK citizens can still travel for work or pleasure, there are different rules.

Passports must be valid for more than six months, visas or permits may be needed for long stays, pets need a health certificate and drivers need extra documents.

The automatic right to live and work in the EU also ceases, and the UK will no longer take part in the Erasmus student exchange programme.

Hauliers face new rules and lorry drivers heading for the Continent must have a Kent Access Permit before entering the county in an effort to curb tailbacks on cross-Channel routes.

Travel to Ireland does not change, but the Northern Ireland Protocol means Northern Ireland remains in the EU single market for goods and will apply EU customs rules at its ports, even though the region is still part of the UK customs territory.

The protocol will also see Northern Ireland follow certain EU rules on state aid and VAT.

Gibraltar, whose sovereignty is disputed by Spain and Britain, remains subject to the rules of the free-travel Schengen area, keeping the border with Spain open.

Government officials insisted the necessary border systems and infrastructure in the UK are in place.

Big Ben chimed at 11pm, when the Prime Minister is understood to have marked the occasion with his family in Downing Street.

Celebrations were muted by the coronavirus pandemic but Eurosceptic MPs, once derided as fringe eccentrics on the margins of the Conservative Party, expressed their delight.

Sir Bill Cash said it was a “victory for democracy and sovereignty”, while Sir John Redwood said he looked forward to using the “new freedoms and opportunities now open to global Britain”.

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who played a key role in the 2016 referendum, told the PA news agency: “Yes, we spare a thought for Northern Ireland and our fishermen, but this is a moment to celebrate 2021 as an independent United Kingdom. It’s a shame the pubs aren’t open.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in