Even in the worst case scenario, with trade between Greece and the United Kingdom becoming difficult, "Greek fruit and vegetable export and trading companies have the capacity and can cooperate with countries and buyers outside the EU," said Giorgos Polychronakis, expert adviser of the Association of Greek Exporters of Fruit, Vegetables and Juices (Incofruit Hellas).
However, he also urged the state to provide timely education-information on export procedures to third countries to many small and medium-sized traders of fresh fruit and vegetables in Greece, who currently lack the necessary knowledge.
"We already work with and export products to far-off destinations, and our trade is going well, but in any case, we have to start looking at how to respond to the possibility of trade becoming difficult in the near future," he said, adding that "we may need to hire additional staff to organize this more efficiently and anticipate any charges, both in the fields of transport and customs."
However, acknowledging that, in the course of Brexit, "the fruit and vegetable market has been disturbed by the impact of price adjustments and the loss of value of the pound," Mr Polychronakis stressed that "the above developments make Greek products relatively more expensive for the British consumer. In any case, we still have to wait and see what will really happen and what kind of agreement it is reached."
Expressing his curiosity about the agreement that will eventually be signed, Mr. Polychronakis reiterated that "the United Kingdom is an important market for Greek fresh and processed fruit and vegetable exports, accounting for 8% of the total value and 5.5% of the total volume (fresh and processed).
Mr. Polychronakis also stressed that "the whole sector needs to study how to address the situation, both domestically and at European level," and underlined that "importing companies in the United Kingdom are facing as much insecurity as their suppliers in the other Member States."
"Given what we have seen so far, the situation could still go in any direction," he said, asking: "will there be import duties? What kind of phytosanitary effects will Brexit have in the trade agreement with the United Kingdom? Will customs controls and formalities be imposed? Will earlier reports about fresh fruit and vegetables having free movement (under the current EU-EFTA Agreement) apply?"
He pointed out that the European Commission needs to prepare emergency plans for Brexit, and Greece, together with the EU-27 countries, can ask for them to be adopted. These plans should include measures to support the market in the event of distortions, especially taking into account the perishability of fresh fruit and vegetables.
He said that if the United Kingdom leaves the EU and the customs rules for trade within the EU no longer apply to them in the fruit and vegetables sector, then a Greek business willing to export to the United Kingdom will be forced, inter alia, to obtain an EORI number. "This number is needed to be able to make a customs declaration," he said, adding that it would be advisable to learn how to draw up and submit an export declaration and become familiar with all the required documents (invoices etc.).
Source: ypaithros.gr