The government would “unilaterally” throw open Britain’s borders to all but high-risk goods from March next year under a no-deal Brexit in a bid to avoid chaos at Britain’s ports, according to a report.
The government, which would face a massive increase in customs checks if it failed to secure a deal with Brussels, would set up new “technical options” which would “minimise risk” at the borders and digitally collect VAT, introducing spot checks on some goods but waving most through, the Sun reported.
The extraordinary arrangement would risk flooding the UK with potentially dangerous goods and dramatically increase the risk of large amounts of fraudulent goods entering the country.
The government would not demand Brussels to reciprocate the deal, meaning UK firms would face huge new tariff and non-tariff barriers on goods being exported to Europe which could run many out of business.
Large numbers of British people who live in work in Europe could also lose access to their pensions under a no-deal scenario, the Sun reported.
British citizens who have worked in EU countries and built up pension funds abroad which are then paid into a UK bank account are said to be particularly at risk.
Brussels pensions rules mean that funds that cross borders can only be paid into EU-registered bank accounts.
That means expats and former expats with British bank accounts risk having their payments cut off when the UK becomes a third country in March next year.