Peter MacSwiney, Chairman of ASM, which provides a one-stop software solution and representation for the UK freight-forwarding industry, to lead a Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC) working group looking at the impact of Brexit London, UK, Monday, 13th March, 2017 - Agency Sector Management (ASM)’s chairman Peter MacSwiney was appointed to co-chair the Customs Brexit Group (CBG), a Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC) think-tank focused on Brexit Customs issues. The Group, which is co-chaired by Aaron Dunne, Trade and Customs Cooperation at HM Revenue and Customs, includes JCCC members, industry representatives most impacted by Brexit, subject matter experts, and representatives from other Government Departments. HMRC will give Brexit process updates during the meetings, which will take place six times a year, and members will discuss specific issues with a focus on developing strategic Brexit policy. “Trade facilitation must be an integral component of Government planning and all Brexit negotiations,” said MacSwiney, who will take part in a workshop on Brexit on Wednesday 5th April at the Multimodal exhibition in Birmingham, UK. “Any possible reintroduction of Customs declaration requirements and frontier controls could cause major disruption at the border, particularly, at the UK’s ferry roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) ports and the Channel Tunnel. “The freight industry needs to know both HMRC’s short and long-term view and how flexible it is prepared to be. "It is also important to understand what interim arrangements, if any, will apply in the meantime and how the UK would work with any changes, short or long-term, within the Union Customs Code (UCC)." “Moving forward demands the involvement of all parties to ensure discussions are comprehensive and agreement is universal.” Objectives of the CBG include providing a seamless and friction free experience to compliant customers, being flexible and responding with agility to change, and helping customers to get things right first time through the provision of high quality services and IT. The JCCC gives HMRC the opportunity to consider representations from over 20 member organisations on a face-to-face basis to exchange views on, and discuss proposed changes to, Customs procedures and documentation relating to the entry and clearance of goods. MacSwiney will take part in a Brexit Briefing with Robert Keen, Director General, British International Freight Association (BIFA), on Wednesday 5th of April at the Multimodal show at the Birmingham NEC.