Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

French Customs Officers In The Port City Of Calais Count Down To Brexit

French Customs Officers In The Port City Of Calais Count Down To Brexit

At midnight local time border controls will be reinstated between Great Britain and the European Union for the first time since 1993. One of the world's busiest ports believes it's ready.
Updated at 6:38 p.m. ET


The maritime border between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe suddenly became a lot stronger Thursday evening as Brexit took effect at 11 p.m. U.K. local time, reinstating border controls between Britain and the European Union for the first time since 1993.

On the French side of the English Channel, customs officials in the Port of Calais said they were more than prepared for the moment.

"We have spent the last three years preparing for this moment," says Jean-Michel Thillier, Director of Customs for the Hauts-de-France region of northern France.

While there were some fears of a repeat of the pre-Christmas chaos, traffic on both sides of the channel was running smoothly on Thursday evening.

To ensure things continue to run smoothly from Jan. 1 onward, the French government has hired an additional 700 customs officers, built three new 24/7 offices and a special facility for trucks to fill out declarations as part of a $15.8 million infrastructure investment.

'Smart Border'


An average of 5 million trucks cross the English Channel every year, making it one the world's busiest shipping routes.

To keep traffic flowing as quickly as possible, the French government has invested an additional $49 million in "smart border" technology that will let businesses declare goods to French customs online before shipments leave the factory.

After declaring, trucks will be given a barcode that customs agents can simply scan at the border.

Trucks carrying animal products or plants will require additional checks. But the vast majority of all other trucks which follow procedures in advance will be waved through.

Still, French officials said there were fears that many businesses aren't ready for the new protocols.

"Some of these businesses will have to learn the hard way by making mistakes the first time around," says Thibault Rougelot, a French customs official working in the Port of Calais. "Once they see how long it takes to get things sorted, we hope they won't make the same mistake twice."

Any truck entering a customs checkpoint without a barcode will be required to have a full inspection carried out.

When asked if he felt customs officials in the U.K. were equally prepared for the new protocols, Hauts-de-France Customs Director Jean-Michel Thillier paused before responding.

"I think they have worked a lot in these last few months," Thillier said.

"I hope they will be prepared. We'll see."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×