The broad sunlit uplands of next March. Yeah, really. .

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

And I believe, and you can find sources that confirm this, that the UK had previously decided to opt out of centralised purchasing of medicines/vaccines as a matter of political thinking prior to Brexit, as well as they had already legalised the change to how medications/vaccines are to be regulated, again prior to Brexit.

But I do agree that in this instance, it would appear that the UK's government has actually pulled their fingers out, and have appeared to have done a pretty good job so far on the vaccine front.

We could only opt out due to the exit agreement last January. However I simply stated a fact that you immediately took out of context to use against me. Apology accepted.

[Lancsbreaker]

I think some of the comments on here reinforce my thoughts that any problems with export/import processes are likely to be exacerbated by bureaucratic empire building - particularly by our Customs and Excise. For eaxample Bert says that notifications have to be sent to C&E 24 hours in advance, meaning delaying a truck for a day. So the question is - why 24 hours notice? What do C&E do in that timescale? I suspect the answer is that some jobsworth just plucked a figure out of the air for no good reason and it just got waved through.


I don't know that this is the case, of course, but 23 years of working in a large (originally civil service) organisation - PO Telecomms and then BT - showed me many examples where things were done for no particularly good reason, and were then "baked-in" to organisational processes. Relative newcomers like myself were able to inject some sense of logic, sometimes, but institutional inertia and habit are difficult things to shift

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

I think some of the comments on here reinforce my thoughts that any problems with export/import processes are likely to be exacerbated by bureaucratic empire building - particularly by our Customs and Excise. For eaxample Bert says that notifications have to be sent to C&E 24 hours in advance, meaning delaying a truck for a day. So the question is - why 24 hours notice? What do C&E do in that timescale? I suspect the answer is that some jobsworth just plucked a figure out of the air for no good reason and it just got waved through.


I don't know that this is the case, of course, but 23 years of working in a large (originally civil service) organisation - PO Telecomms and then BT - showed me many examples where things were done for no particularly good reason, and were then "baked-in" to organisational processes. Relative newcomers like myself were able to inject some sense of logic, sometimes, but institutional inertia and habit are difficult things to shift

Yes, I think you make a good point. As Bert says, why do you need paper when electronic documents are acceptable in other locations? I should point out that in my example documents are printed off and handed over to the owner upon completion, but they remain electronic until that time.

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by bauble

Mike, we were way ahead of the USA even with their own vaccine, I am pretty sure that if the EU had a hand in our NHS we would not be so far advanced as we are now.
I doubt that Peter, meant any more then that.

I don't think our development and roll out would have been any different. Despite what the governement or Daily Mail say to you.

https://www.instituteforgovernment.o...cisions-brexit

We were a Sovereign state and 'allowed' to make our own decisions beforehand without a note from Berier et all.

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2016/05...vereignty-myth

It's more likely we'll now get our arms twisted and be pushed into poor decision making as we have a hell of a lot less power behind us.

The yanks are a special case. Not on the same page as Western Europe.

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Yes, I think you make a good point. As Bert says, why do you need paper when electronic documents are acceptable in other locations? I should point out that in my example documents are printed off and handed over to the owner upon completion, but they remain electronic until that time.

Agreed . . .I remember managing projects back in the 90's when exporting kit generated REAMS of paper . . . all by hand. Now, even the 3 copies of commercial invoice, bill of lading etc is all digital until the last minute.

I still haven't got a stamp for my signature though

[Gerard C]

Yes and with a smartphone using QR code, you can do wonders now. Which does not prevent from keeping paper job with, just in case.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

I don't think our development and roll out would have been any different. Despite what the governement or Daily Mail say to you.

https://www.instituteforgovernment.o...cisions-brexit

We were a Sovereign state and 'allowed' to make our own decisions beforehand without a note from Berier et all.

Interesting, but it ignores the need for qualified majority. Nonetheless I accept it was not brexit. And were weren't a sovereign state, we were an EU state. Major difference.

Originally Posted by zefarelly

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2016/05...vereignty-myth

It's more likely we'll now get our arms twisted and be pushed into poor decision making as we have a hell of a lot less power behind us.

The yanks are a special case. Not on the same page as Western Europe.

Not entirely certain, what powers we had under the EU since we can and will be able to plough our own furrow.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

We could only opt out due to the exit agreement last January. However I simply stated a fact that you immediately took out of context to use against me. Apology accepted.

What apology?

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

What apology?

Exactly.

[Rudernst]

Originally Posted by bauble

Mike, we were way ahead of the USA even with their own vaccine, I am pretty sure that if the EU had a hand in our NHS we would not be so far advanced as we are now.
I doubt that Peter, meant any more then that.

I am involved with pharmaceutical approval procedures because some of the commodities that I trade can be used or certified into medicine.
Which means that I to have more knowledge of pharmaceutical approval procedures that I really would like

Basically, it depends on how deep and thorough one wants to be in the approval process. It takes a good 3-5 years to approve a medicinal bath salt..., been there, gave up on it, no T shirt
Approving a vaccine in an emergency under some sort of fast track procedure is a question of priorities, pure and simple
what do I really want or need to know to make a decision ?
taken to extremes, one can approve a vaccine in 15 seconds, just sign and stamp the paperwork unread.

This is not something to be competitive about as it boils down to the question: how many corners should but cut how quickly, and what might be the price ?

I am happy that I dont have anything to do with that

I agree with the underlying idea that in a crisis situation like this, anything that has a reasonable chance to help and is not outright dangerous might be worth using, because not doing anything could be much worse.

RudE

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

The problem is that we have to have a paper copy of each EHC with the load - we're sending electronic versions too but physical copies have to go with the truck. It's something that could (and should) be switched to electronic only but at the moment the rules say we have to have paper copies. That same load previously would have had 3 sheets of A4 with it. Software isn't the problem - the rules are the problem.

in this example whose rules, UK or EU?

[Peter Mallett]

Indeed Rudernst. And yes I did not mention it on a competitive basis. Also Zef's article references a directive that as I understand it requires the commission to approve the import of the vaccine. It has been revised extensively since 1983. My point was that since we are not under that directive anymore we can make our own decisions and thus the UK is ahead of the curve.

Not a competition but frankly I'd rather be here than there, as I expect any reasonable person would wish.

This is not a good thing to be living through and without the vaccines I don't see any motorsport happening in the near future.

[John Elwin]

Some things are still working - I posted a parcel to Chesterfield in Arras on Monday afternoon, normal post. It was delivered today! Pretty good going at any time, I reckon.

[Peter Mallett]

Yay! Where in Arras is Chesterfield exactly?

[Gerard C]

Between the bakery and the church…

[Peter Mallett]

Surely La boulangerie et l'eglise.

[Gerard C]

Indeed…

[midgetman]

That's pretty good. We're not getting great post delivery at the moment, we seem to get a batch every few days.

I think it's because of Covid in the sorting office. A friend of mine works there and he had it before Christmas, it sounds like there's a reduced staff there due to sickness.

Sent from my AC2003 using Tapatalk

[Gerard C]

And now we are warned that all the first batch of vaccinations had not been properly injected. Wrong user's manual, may be? Cant read the Chinese? What a nation of pricks and red necks we are. I guess next belgian joke will be: why doesn't the vaccine work on French? Because its supposed to be done as close as possible to the brain. All of them got it in the bottom! No sheet!

I have a thought of my Gran'pa and Dad, both medaled several times, Dad was made Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. To be honored like that you just have to sing rap… What a shame. A total dishonor. Désolé, papa.

[Alfaholic]

With regards to BertMk2's comments earlier, I cannot comment openly due to my job, but I can confirm that from the Border some of the processes forced upon us are totally ridiculous and hark back to practices that were phased out over 20 years ago. It's like someone in charge looked at an old operating handbook and implicated it without realising that technology has made things so much easier now.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Yes and with a smartphone using QR code, you can do wonders now. Which does not prevent from keeping paper job with, just in case.

Nothing to do with Brexit but re QR codes at Sandown a couple of weeks ago I had to show my (sent to my phone in advance) QR code at the main gate to access the circuit. They scanned it and told me to go to race control. In the couple of minutes after I had driven in, parked the car and got to race control my wristband was waiting at the counter for me. All very 21st century I thought.

[Gerard C]

Ever used an Amazon locker? I dont see why GB truckers couldn't use a QR code to go though the custom gates. OK, if they are carefully checked by an officer and should the arctic gates be opened, the paper is the ultimate support. Today. 'Morrow, la reconnaissance faciale permettra d'identifier le chauffeur et de faire un rapprochement avec the plate number.

[Gerard C]

You can imagine a screen on the dash displaying the QRC, like the buses. Inconvenient? For a short while, the trucker can't display messages like "Riccardo big muscles, ta!"…

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Ever used an Amazon locker? I dont see why GB truckers couldn't use a QR code to go though the custom gates. OK, if they are carefully checked by an officer and should the arctic gates be opened, the paper is the ultimate support. Today. 'Morrow, la reconnaissance faciale permettra d'identifier le chauffeur et de faire un rapprochement avec the plate number.

Same principle I mentioned earlier. Seems to me the UK jobsworths need to step up.

[Gerard C]

Will be a piece of cake for you. We have adopted a system reading the number plates, the same Livingstone (not this one, the other) has had developed for London moons ago. Works nicely to fine people.

Now at the main airports, inspired from a japanese software, the toll system can recognize not only the numbers but the facia of the car. Meaning that if you enter a Twingo showing 313AW and try to exit with a Bimmer showing 313AW, you'll be stuck between two gates and the security will promptly arrive.

All is here and available now and should we need more, its easy to develop and use. I'm convinced its simple like that. Not in France, of course…