Ham fisted Brexit

Good post Lucretzia.

Calendargirl Over the years we have bought plants and small trees from UK nurseries and brought them home to France where until the last few years it has been hard to buy from organic suppliers. We have always bought seeds from an excellent organic supplier in Devon. What makes you think that UK goods would be source of contamination, I wonder?

I'm assuming that it would be OK if the plants/seeds/foodstuffs (whatever) had a licence. So far, there hasn't been any deal with the EU and presumably it will involve filling out some form or other. I expect the lorry drivers will just have to buy themselves a "sandwich au jambon", because nobody's going to bother getting a licence for ham sandwiches, but I doubt if the Scottish seed potato exporters consider it's no big deal. I also read somewhere that there will probably be shortages in seed imports from EU countries until there's some kind of deal in place.

I have been trying to remember how it was before the Single Market growstuff. I remember being told off by UK customs for having a few potatoes left in the boot, but I don't remember the dairy ban.
All annoying for us, but as you say disaster for the growers of seed potatoes.
I am a bit bemused by people saying that the Dutch customs are being "petty". Is there really so little understanding of what leaving the single market and CU actually means? Do people not get that this is what they voted for?

Mamie

I have been trying to remember how it was before the Single Market growstuff. I remember being told off by UK customs for having a few potatoes left in the boot, but I don't remember the dairy ban.
All annoying for us, but as you say disaster for the growers of seed potatoes.
I am a bit bemused by people saying that the Dutch customs are being "petty". Is there really so little understanding of what leaving the single market and CU actually means? Do people not get that this is what they voted for?

I remember travelling to Germany by train and hiding food from ticket collectors in case they informed anybody. That was for bio-security reasons. It was strictly forbidden to take tea or coffee into Germany because the tariffs were so high. It's ironic because I've been buying filter coffee from Germany for years, but the supplier I used won't ship to the UK now.

I know you have to have permission to import seeds into the EU because I know somebody who is a botanist and collects seeds from all over the world. As a non-EU country, UK exporters will need permission too.

Mamie

I have been trying to remember how it was before the Single Market growstuff. I remember being told off by UK customs for having a few potatoes left in the boot, but I don't remember the dairy ban.
All annoying for us, but as you say disaster for the growers of seed potatoes.
I am a bit bemused by people saying that the Dutch customs are being "petty". Is there really so little understanding of what leaving the single market and CU actually means? Do people not get that this is what they voted for?

Answers to your two last questions:

Yes
No

Holland (Rotterdam) is the illegal drugs capital of the world. Industry is worth BILLIONS.

Yes ham butties need confiscating but really their border control have much bigger headaches to address!

?

maddyone

Does it matter? You can’t take certain foods into Switzerland either, or Canada or any number of other countries. I can’t believe the fuss about something so small. If the lorry drivers want a ham sandwich then they should eat it first or buy a new one. Good Lord, it’s not rocket science. Do people actually care about this rubbish in the middle of a pandemic?

Ah maddyone it’s another stick to beat us with don’t you know?

Or to point out how ill-informed we all were as we entered those (several times) voting booths.

?

Callistemon, why on earth would we want to get marmite in Australia. Vegemite is far superior.

Wash your mouth out LauraNorder

Urmstongran

maddyone

Does it matter? You can’t take certain foods into Switzerland either, or Canada or any number of other countries. I can’t believe the fuss about something so small. If the lorry drivers want a ham sandwich then they should eat it first or buy a new one. Good Lord, it’s not rocket science. Do people actually care about this rubbish in the middle of a pandemic?

Ah maddyone it’s another stick to beat us with don’t you know?

Or to point out how ill-informed we all were as we entered those (several times) voting booths.

?

You deserve the sticks, but I'm sure you can take it! After all, you did know exactly what you were voting for.

It’s not a “small” problem it’s a “big” problem and far reaching,
the UK has stated that it no longer recognises EU rules in many areas. The transition period was supposed to be used for agreeing equivalent standards, but it was not, in due course agreements will be made, although how we are going to do that when we have the freedom to trade wherever we want I have no idea.

It’s been in the headlines about truck drivers but it applies to everyone travelling to the EU by land, sea or air. The UK customs won’t be bothered about what you bring in but watch out for VAT on personal goods.

Not just one problem but a nightmarish plethora of problems caused by this disastrous brexit nonsense.

growstuff I’m puzzled. I voted to remain in the EU and I don’t like you making a completely wrong assumption about me with absolutely no evidence.
The issue of a ham sandwich is all I commented on. Clearly there are many big issues about leaving the EU, but a lorry driver missing his sandwich or having to buy a new one is trivial in the extreme. Simply not important.
I’ve just got out of hospital today after a massive battle with Covid. I wasn’t unsafe, I followed the rules. My elderly mother was discharged after a fall which hospitalised her with the virus, contracted in the hospital. We were assured she was negative and had been tested, although I was suspicious myself because I knew that inadvertently Covid patients had been in her ward. Anyway my very caring husband popped round to see her and picked up the virus and then brought it home to me. I blame no one, it happened, and that’s it. I thought I might die the day I was taken into hospital, I couldn’t breathe, my oxygen saturation levels were dangerously low, and I have received top class life saving treatment from our wonderful NHS. I have been asked to write a thread about my experiences by a couple of posters and I will, but not tonight. I’m just happy to be at home and safe and recovering over the next six weeks, or so my consultant says.
Ham sandwiches are not important. That’s my point. When I go to America or Canada or other places I cannot import a ham sandwich. It really isn’t important in the bigger scheme of things. But please never say that you know I voted leave because you’re wrong and you have absolutely no right to write untruths about me.

maddyone please rest

maddyone you don't owe anyone any explanations. There is an old adage that says "Never assume. It makes an ass out of you and me", and it's never seemed more relevant than regarding the post that you've referred to. I hope you continue to make good progress in your recovery.

Get well soon maddyone.

maddyone unless you are wearing an EU flag and raging about every little thing to do with Brexit you are assumed to have voted leave with all the associated assumptions made about your deficiencies of character.

Take care, take it easy and get well soon

Pleased you are home maddyone .

Just another petty fogging irritation benefit of being out of the EU for the poor lorry drivers.
GillT57

Some lorries have small fridges (Truck Fridges) in the cab, I think, and drivers take fresh food for their own consumption.
I suppose they'll be unused now.

Get well soon maddyone what a dreadful time you have had. Enjoy being back home and in your own bed.

Maddyone, glad you’re home and on the mend.
Callistemon vegemite rules ?

Ham (or any other filling) sandwiches are important to lorry drivers who go on long journeys and have been used to preparing food for them plus any hold ups.

They may not seem important to people who don't drive for a living, but they're just another irritant to the extra paperwork and delays hauliers are currently experiencing. Many of them are paid by mileage covered rather than hours worked, so a job which involves crossing a UK border is increasingly not an attractive proposition.

I didn't make any wrong assumption about you maddyone.

My point is that taking food with you is important to lorry drivers.

And you have no right to write untruths about me.