In the summer of 2016, the world was surprised to learn that 51% of the British voters had chosen in a referendum to leave the European Union. A few months later, in the spring of 2017, the decision to leave the Union was finalised and revealed to the EU. From that point onwards, the British were given two years to come to an agreement with the EU on what this split from the Union would look like.

Brexit was a fact, or at least, we had two years to prepare for that fact. However, those two years turned into almost four years, and finally, after many negotiations, Brexit is a fact from 01-01-2021.

For us, but most importantly for our clients, this has led to a lot of uncertainty in recent years.

It was clear that everyone doing business between Great Britain and the European Union had to prepare, but for what, exactly? A ‘hard’ Brexit, where customs procedures would apply and import tariffs would be imposed? Or a ‘soft’ Brexit, with agreements, exceptions, and less stringent rules?

Despite all of these uncertainties, Melkweg|Fritom anticipated the changes by deploying their own ‘Brexit team’. This team followed new developments closely and made preparations wherever possible. On the day before Christmas, a free trade deal was agreed to so that there would be no import duties. However, in spite of this deal, the free movement of goods as we know it in the European Union no longer applies.

To be able to assist our customers as best as possible, Melkweg|Fritom has invested in its own customs department. By having in-house customs expertise, we can:

• Provide your export shipments with the correct export documents.
• Execute cargo declarations in various port export systems and in the United Kingdom.
• Organize your import dealings.

The 'Brexit ghost' with enormous traffic jams for Calais does not apply to us, as we use several ferry crossings to different ports in the United Kingdom.

Through sophisticated planning and our own in-house customs expertise, we have proven from the beginning that just-in-time deliveries (also with Brexit) in the UK are still possible.

Additionally, stricter requirements now apply to products of animal origin. These include dairy products and animal fats.

For example, for each such shipment, a number of crucial and labour-intensive processes involving export permits, health certificates, veterinary examinations and checks must now be arranged and carried out. This is an intensive process with complicated procedures in which specialization is of great importance.

If any of these processes are not handled or handled incorrectly, it will result in delays, additional costs, or, in the worst case, even rejection of the product.

Melkweg|Fritom, the specialist in liquid bulk products to and from the UK, has invested in this and has established their own procedures for this purpose.

Thanks to our own in-house expertise, Melkweg|Fritom is not just your specialist when it comes to arranging shipments, for the correct handling of customs and veterinary services you have also come to the right place!

• Our European specialization
• An extensive and sustainable network
• Efficient custom handling
• Bringing a specialized team into play
• Safety and guaranteed quality
• State-of-the-art communication
• Ensured food quality and safety