The exit of Great Britain from the European Union (Brexit) brought that country higher costs, more bureaucracy and stoppage of goods at the borders, and there are no promised benefits for now, announced today the Committee of the British Parliament for Public Expenditure.
A day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed a secretary of state to look into "Brexit potential", the committee said the "only visible impact" of leaving the EU so far is a greater burden on businesses.
The UK left the European Union's huge single market for goods and services on 31 December 2020. Much of the two sides' trade continues to be tariff-free, but Brexit has brought a host of new customs checks and other barriers to previously smooth trade.
Brexiteers argue that leaving the EU, which Great Britain joined in 1973, will allow the country to cut red tape, increase productivity and modernize the economy.
Public Expenditure Committee Chair Meg Hillier, an MP from the opposition Labor Party, said however that "the only visible impact so far has been increased costs and paperwork and delays at the borders".
Before Brexit, the UK did half of its trade with EU countries. The Committee's report states that the coronavirus pandemic has hit international trade hard, and that it is therefore difficult to measure the precise effect of Brexit, but it says that "it is clear that leaving the EU has had an impact".
The report also notes that border delays are likely to increase as international travel and transportation return to pre-pandemic levels. This year, the EU is introducing new checks on people entering the bloc of 27 countries, while Great Britain is introducing controls on all imports, including plant and animal products.
Johnson yesterday appointed Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg to the new post of Secretary of State for "Brexit potential and government efficiency".
The appointment is part of changes implemented with the aim of strengthening Johnson's authority, which has been weakened by the recent scandal surrounding his participation in parties during the strict measures against the coronavirus pandemic.
Bonus video:
