has anyone else read the freeports consultation doc?

can we rap about it here pls?

I always think of Freeports as being Game of thrones style medieval towns with stone jetties  with a colourful motley collection of ner do wells as its inhabitants - far from the reality of a container facility at Felixstowe sadly 

aha sumo! thank you for being here

in answer to your precise q no because in bonded warehouses you are not supposed to process things, they just sit there

we DO have inward processing relief ofc which allows processing and removal

my theory is that the UKG proposal conflates a number of ideas and is not really a freeport (or at least not in the sense usually intended) but rather a form of economic development zone that cannot go beyond what was possible within the EU without seriously breaking some common sense economic and fiscal principles

I've read through it.  It reads like the whole thing was conceived of by someone who's never been outside.

Also, the end of page 33 clearly demonstrates why justified text shouldn't be used.

Some of the questions though.  If they don't know the answers already, they have no business being in charge.

FOR TOO LONG THIS GREAT NATION HAS LANGUISHED WITHOUT FREEPORTS WHICH THE DIKTATS OF THE FACELESS BRUSSELS BUREAUCRATS FORBADE!

BUT NOW GLOBAL BRITAIN WILL HAVE FREEPORTS AND THEY WILL MAKE US RICH BECAUSE FREEPORTS AND THE CONTINENTALS WILL BE GREEN WITH ENVY FOR THEY HAVE NONE!!

It's essentially carving out little bits of land and turning them into pirate fiefdoms.

I wonder if they have in mind to turn all the car plants into freeports to try and sort supply chain issues.

 

"...in UK terms aren't we just talking about glorified bonded warehouses?"

 

quite. plus the hope that it will spur pirates to land their goods here while we allow a safe passage of time for the goods to turn mainstream and compliant with all laws and customs declaration (EU included)

How are they proposing to deal with goods leaving one freeport for another (inland) freeport?  Will they have to follow specified routes?  Will there be freeport corridors?  Or will they just check out then check back in again subject to a guarantee?

Not yet.  

Should I?  For any additional reason over rapping with you :)

Separately, but relatedly, I do note that according to the UN:

'The conclusion is that FTZs as originally conceived do not exist any more in the European Union. The Commission does allow the establishment of free zones within its territory but its definition of free zone is a very narrow one.'

https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/pub_2377_fulltext.pdf#page=… 

 

The TIR Convention establishes an international customs transit system with maximum facility to move goods:

  • in sealed vehicles or containers;
  • from a customs office of departure in one country to a customs office of destination in another country;
  • without requiring extensive and time-consuming border checks at intermediate borders;
  • while, at the same time, providing customs authorities with the required security and guarantees.

The TIR system not only covers customs transit by road but a combination is possible with other modes of transport (e.g., rail, inland waterway, and even maritime transport), as long as at least one part of the total transport is made by road.

To date, more than 33,000 international transport operators had been authorised (by their respective competent national authorities) to access the TIR system, using around 1.5 million TIR carnets per year.

clergs - if we are discussing this seriously - yes agree with your last para here:

"..but rather a form of economic development zone that cannot go beyond what was possible within the EU without seriously breaking some common sense economic and fiscal principles" 

except whoever wrote that paper visited a jetty and a fuel farm in Singapore and watched rotterdam from afar and thought yes...we create a hodge podge of the two. At the same time not having a clue how will you get the economics to work here. Which trade / commodity / service gap are they trying to fill which is not already there in the European waters and at a much cheaper price? This might be an excellent idea off the US coast but geographically we are bummed to be next to Europe.