Import and export delays are hampering trade as companies struggle to recover from the pandemic, new research suggests.
A third of smaller companies surveyed by manufacturing organisation Make Ƶ said they were still struggling with customs paperwork and processes, with clearance across borders posing the greatest difficulty.
New rules to prove the origin of a product were one of the last elements of the trade deal to become known, leaving manufacturers little time to prepare or understand the detail, said Make Ƶ.
Two in five of the 179 firms surveyed said rules of origin was a key priority for further discussion with the EU.
Make Ƶ warned of a “ticking time bomb” as mobility between the Ƶ and EU remains “largely untested”.
Stephen Phipson, chief executive of Make Ƶ, said: “It is clear that much of the trade and co-operation agreement needs to be worked on further in order to smooth out continuing difficulties for both Ƶ and EU companies in a number of areas including customs, mobility, legislation and standards.
“Government should also work with the EU to find a solution to the issue over origin of goods which is proving extremely challenging for many companies.”
