Gun pulled by EU border official on British exporter - amid claims of 'deliberate 'slowing down' of exports
There are calls for an investigation into allegations of tensions at the border after one Devon-based fish exporter reported having a gun pulled on him in a row over paperwork.
Last updated 15th Jan 2021
MP Anthony Mangnall, who represents the fishing port of Brixham as well as Salcombe and Dartmouth, says there have been problems - on both sides - since the UK-EU trade deal came into force this month.
He's now written to Defra calling for intervention and in response the Government department says it recognises the fishing industry is facing some 'temporary issues' and is working to address the delays.
It is claimed the British fishing industry is currently losing £1 million a day in lost exports.
The Tory MP, who voted for Brexit, said: "The most important thing is being able to see that those people exporting produce from the UK are able to get it into the EU.
"Of course we've got a EU-UK trade deal. Yes that does come with a bit more documentation but one of the biggest problems we seem to be finding is that there are deliberate activities on the count of EU Border Agents in slowing down the process and of course we don't want that.
"We want it to be able to be kept at a normal level and I received reports recently, in fact this morning, about one driver who had a gun pulled on him because he didn't show documentation for empty boxes in the back of his van.
"This all relates to making sure that the fishing industry is able to export its produce to the EU which was part of the agreement."
A statement from DEFRA said: "We recognise the fishing industry are facing some temporary issues as businesses get used to new processes for exporting following the end of the Transition Period.
Below is the full interview with MP Anthony Mangnall
“Our priority is to ensure goods flow smoothly to market and we are working closely with industry and the authorities in EU countries to understand and address any issues with documentation.
“We are also looking at what additional financial support we can provide to support those businesses affected and we’ll provide more details on that in due course.”