Hauliers report problems with post-Brexit customs system but HMRC insists it is 'online and working as planned'
- Reference: 1641394329
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/01/05/hauliers_gvms_problems/
- Source link:
According to [1]Bloomberg , problems with the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) – a UK government IT platform for moving goods into or out of Northern Ireland and Great Britain – have meant hauliers have not been able to load shipments onto the system and get their reference codes accepted.
The news outlet cites three organisations, including auto manufacturer Honda, as having been hit by difficulties with the system, causing shipments to be held up at the UK border.
[2]
In November 2020, [3]UK public spending watchdog the National Audit Office said it had been assured a "minimum viable product" for GVMS would be released in December 2020 followed by a second release in June 2021 that would provide more functionality and enable the delivery of import and export controls.
[4]
[5]
UK tax collector Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) launched GVMS to support the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in January 2021, although there was a delay in delivering full functionality, according to [6]a report [PDF] from public spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) in November last year.
From 1 January 2022, hauliers and logistics organisations needed to use the system to get any goods that you move through a port in the UK through customs, [7]according to the HMRC website .
[8]
News of problems with the system are not likely to be reassuring to the NAO, which, as of November, reported that further changes were required before January 2022 when traders will need to submit a full customs declaration at the point of entry to Great Britain.
"The most significant relates to making enhancements to the GVMS to improve the interaction between GVMS and other HMRC systems and to enable GVMS to validate the information it is receiving," the report said.
In July 2021, HMRC told the NAO it "was confident that it could make the changes to GVMS required in order to support its own requirements before January 2022, but that it was still working through the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs' requirements to see if they could be accommodated in time.
[9]
"If not, this would mean that heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers could find out from the GVMS system whether or not their goods have been cleared or require checking and provide details of locations of the inland facilities, but that there would not be the functionality in place to inform drivers the specific inland facilities to attend for checks if required."
[10]UK government has 'no clear plan' for replacing ageing legacy IT estate, MPs report
[11]Launched the year Netscape Navigator was born, the UK's CHIEF customs system finally has a retirement date
[12]The Home Office will need to overturn a long legacy of failure to achieve ambition of all-digital border by 2025
[13]Seagate UK customer stung by VAT on replacement drive shipped via the Netherlands
The Border and Protocol Delivery Group, which sits within the Cabinet Office, told the NAO that from August 2021 HMRC systems changes were on track but that there was a red-rated risk for delivery of the Defra-related GVMS changes for January 2022, "although plans were being developed for workaround solutions."
When we asked whether the requisite January 22 updates to GVMS had been made, an HMRC spokesperson responded: "GVMS is online and is working as planned. HMRC continues to undertake a wide variety of engagement activity with hauliers and traders to ensure they understand the new obligations. We will continue to work closely with ports and carriers to monitor the situation."
The Brexit transition, which saw the UK leave the world's largest economic trading bloc and free movement arrangements with its largest trading partner, has also hit the migration of other HMRC systems.
Plans to migrate from the Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system to the Customs Declaration System (CDS), which began in 2013, [14]had been put on hold when the UK entered the final phase of the transition period, which closed at the end of 2020. CHIEF was first introduced in 1994 and [15]HMRC said in August last year it would be closing it on 31 March 2023 and transferring all work to the CDS from that date. ®
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[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-04/firms-grapple-with-new-brexit-red-tape-as-it-system-stops-trucks
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YdXOvCsQ9TcA7dd2ym@DwwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2020/11/06/uk_border_software/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YdXOvCsQ9TcA7dd2ym@DwwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YdXOvCsQ9TcA7dd2ym@DwwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-UK-border-Post-UK-EU-transition-period.pdf
[7] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/register-for-the-goods-vehicle-movement-service
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YdXOvCsQ9TcA7dd2ym@DwwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YdXOvCsQ9TcA7dd2ym@DwwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/12/13/uk_government_has_no_clear/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/08/chief_retirement/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/24/uk_home_office_digital_border/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/02/26/seagate_uk_customer_charged_vat/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2020/11/24/no_end_in_sight_for_chief_customs_system/
[15] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/customs-declaration-service-to-become-uks-single-customs-platform
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
And I'm waiting for a parcel from the UK that's been in customs in Frankfurt for over a week now. Stuff like this used to be three workings days, five max. Even over the holidays.
"GVMS is online and is working as planned."
While avoiding the question of just what the 'planning' actually covered.
Reminds me of horrible memories of the Oracle storage system that has dual-controllers for redundancy but they would not fail-over if one stopped serving files (the primary activity of a file server), only if it had a kernel panic. When we raised this as a bug (among many others) it was dismissed as "working as designed".
While avoiding the question of just what the 'planning' actually covered.
"Hauliers will be presented with screens showing stuff."
While avoiding the question of just what the 'planning' actually covered."
Or whether there was any at all.
Having been unfortunate enough to work in software development in the public sector I think I know exactly what "working as planned" means in this context.
Some clever and assiduous people came up with a project brief. Then some clever and assiduous people came up with a project plan. Some clever and assiduous people then came up with costings and timings. Then some stupid and negligent manager said "we need it quicker and cheaper than that" and chucked the brief, the plan and the costings and timing in the bin and came up with their own scribbled on a blotter. This then got implemented.
So the next stage will be for HMRC to finally insist that while the system is "working as planned" it is not working as required. The blame will then be levelled at all those clever and assiduous people (probably contractors) and the management that cocked it all up will get a promotion and a pay rise.
"GVMS is online and is working as planned."
Well - they would say that wouldn't they?
Hmm
And so the NI protocol being a bad idea, scrap it and put the border back where it should be. NI is in the UK and so shouldnt have such difficulty.
Re: Hmm
Er, how exactly will that help with the HMRC / EU customs paperwork? Won't it just bring yet another set of changes to the system requirements?
Re: Hmm
@Paul Crawford
"Er, how exactly will that help with the HMRC / EU customs paperwork? Won't it just bring yet another set of changes to the system requirements?"
It solves the NI to Britain. For HMRC / EU customs we can only choose how much we wish to inflict upon ourselves.
Re: Hmm
It solves the NI to Britain ...
... and unsolves the ROI to UK.
For HMRC / EU customs we can only choose how much we wish to inflict upon ourselves.
It seems we decided exactly how much pain we wished to inflict upon ourselves in June 2016.
Re: Hmm
@LionelB
"... and unsolves the ROI to UK."
Which amazingly doesnt make it any more complicated but less. Because that puts the border between the UK and EU without the grey area.
"It seems we decided exactly how much pain we wished to inflict upon ourselves in June 2016."
And you are welcome. Could have been worse. Could have remained.
Re: Hmm
Which amazingly doesnt make it any more complicated but less. Because that puts the border between the UK and EU without the grey area.
Yes, perfect (give or take a few hundred years of Irish history).
And you are welcome.
To the pain? That's a bit harsh, what did I ever do to you?
Re: Hmm
@LionelB
"Yes, perfect (give or take a few hundred years of Irish history)."
Again, the annexing of NI does not improve on that situation, makes it no better.
"To the pain? That's a bit harsh, what did I ever do to you?"
Assuming you are in the UK you were probably offered the vaccine while the EU tried to figure out its arse from its elbow. You also got out of the covid bailout fund. Thats a start.
Re: Hmm
Unless with "put the border back where it should be" you mean "back around the whole of NI, UK and continental Europe", I fail to see how that could solve the problem.
Re: Hmm
@Filippo
"back around the whole of NI, UK and continental Europe"
I think that would cause more problems if the UK invaded Europe to move the border that far.
Re: Hmm
Well, it would solve the customs problem though.
(btw, in the previous post, I meant "Ireland, UK and continental Europe"; apologies)
Re: Hmm
@Filippo
"Well, it would solve the customs problem though."
That got a good chuckle.
"(btw, in the previous post, I meant "Ireland, UK and continental Europe"; apologies)"
I meant the same. Sorry I wasnt trying to be awkward just sarcastic. As I assume you guessed the border where it should be is UK / EU
Re: Hmm
As in many things in life, the history of RoI & NI is complex and sweeping statements such as yours pay no respect to the history* of the situation.
* - And by "history" I mean the deaths of many Irish & British/English citizens.
Re: Hmm
@A Non e-mouse
"* - And by "history" I mean the deaths of many Irish & British/English citizens."
Not sure how the EU annexing NI does that. Kinda runs over the history of the many deaths you mention
Re: Hmm
If it was such a bad idea, why did Mr. Frost negotiate it and Mr. Johnson sign it?
Re: Hmm
@Stork
"If it was such a bad idea, why did Mr. Frost negotiate it and Mr. Johnson sign it?"
Frost wasnt for budging in the negotiations if I remember right. It was May who pushed into the negotiations because she wanted to remain (bino). Johnson is only interested in getting elected which left him as the best hope for getting out as May and Cameron really didnt want to leave the EU.
Covid isnt causing any shortages
I spent week in Dublin early December and I remember not seeing any empty shelves, or gaps in the shelves.
Dubin : Covid-Brexit = No Shortages
UK : Covid+Brexit = Shortages
a UK government IT platform
.....^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ -- well that's the problem, right there!
FT article
There's an interesting article on the benefits, or otherwise, of Brexit in today's FT. Their paywall is easily circumvented by searching for "site:ft.com Tories are wondering what happened to the Brexit they promised"
The comments underneath the article are also interesting, though some Brexiteers would claim that FT readers are anti-business and left wing.
Personal note: We just returned to NL from Christmas in the UK - not v happy that we now have to join the "Non-EU/EEA/CH" queue. And to avoid having to take the red lane at customs and pay VAT on imports we no longer spend significantly on art, sound equipment and tools in the UK (when taking stuff out of the UK you can no longer reclaim UK VAT so we would end up paying both UK and NL VAT - no thanks). Such a great way to support British businesses and the creative industry (which successive governments claim to champion), not.
Not working as advertised. I am still having issues with imports from the EU going back as far as February 2021 last year. I'm still waiting on paperwork from HMRC, and it is purely bureaucracy on this side of the channel that is the cause of the issues.
They simply have not caught up with the backlog. It got to the point where the hauliers over in the EU were rejecting jobs transporting goods to the UK, because it is HMRCs public opinion that their system is infallible, and any delays must be caused by either those pesky Europeans, or incompetent hauliers, and not that HMRC is simply a black hole that is sucking up all communications going in, with nothing coming back out leaving the hauliers just sitting there twiddling their thumbs and people like me waiting for the output from the CHIEF system so I can fulfil my VAT obligations going back almost a year.