HMRC yet to begin building UK border IT system

The UK government has still not built its Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) IT system, despite the end of the Brexit transition period looming, while the Port of Dover’s head of EU exit proposes just licensing the French IT system instead

The Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) is intended to allow trucks to declare goods ahead of reaching the border, allowing for smoother traffic flow, particularly at busier ports such as Dover.

However, the government has yet to begin the build of the IT system, MPs on the Future Relationship with the European Union Committee were told.

Speaking to the committee, Tim Reardon, head of EU Exit at the Port of Dover, said: “We’re still at the stage of making sure the definition and the specification of the system is correct so it’s built with a fighting chance of doing what it’s needed to do.”

He added that French customs has built the same type of system in the same time frame “so it’s not impossible”.

“The French customs have tested their system. They’ve done it a couple of times and established that the data flow worked….