Gounon (Getlink): to beyond the Brexit the physical connection of the tunnel under the Handle it must remain a priority for entire Europe



Yesterday, in the course of a audition near the British parliament on the escape of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the representatives of the French port of Calais, of the Belgian port of Zeebrugge and Getlink, public company that she manages the Eurotunnel tunnel under the English Channel have supported that they could be ready to use a new customs system within 2020, term of the period of transition of the Brexit, to pact but - they have emphasized - that notes are returned the modalities of operation of the new system within the end of March of 2019, date proposed for the escape of the United Kingdom from the EU that she involves is the abandonment of the market only that of the customs union. Therefore they have exhorted the government of London to in due time define and to agree the rules and the systems for the entrance and the escape of the goods from the United Kingdom.

In sight of the Brexit, while, Eurotunnel has elaborated together to Ernst & Young (EY) a relationship that for the first time shows the detail of the flows of traffic managed from Eurotunnel between European main the United Kingdom and its five partner: Germany, France, Holland, Spain and Ireland. The document, that monday to the European authorities in the course of a seminary held to Brussels is introduced, evidences that the amount total of the exchanges that every year crosses the Channel Tunnel under the Handle is increased - in particular in last the two years going up to 137,8 billion euros, with a value of the imports and the exports that turns out almost equal. Moreover million passengers use the tunnel are with their cars that with the train.

Relatively to France, the relationship explains that through the tunnel it passes to 27% of the French exports in the United Kingdom in terms of value and 42% of the French imports from the United Kingdom. Moreover it is consisting the flow of tourists (12 million people) that from the United Kingdom the tunnel goes to visit France crossing. As for Germany, particularly important it is the value (4,3 billion pounds) of the flow through the tunnel of parts and members of automobiles between Reign Unito and Germany, nation that accommodates almost fifth of all plants of production of engines and assemblage of automobiles in Europe. Moreover, with reference per year 2016, the tunnel under the Handle has supported 7,8 billion euros of exchanges between the United Kingdom and Spain, pairs to about 21% of all the Spanish exchanges with the United Kingdom (than among other things is the third market of export for Spain of producing fresh), and 34.4% of the British exports towards Spain pass through the tunnel under the Handle. Relatively to Belgium and Holland, the two nations represent beyond a third party of the postal exports and via courier in the United Kingdom and the market of the United Kingdom for shipments with delivery within the 48 hours almost it is doubled between 2012 and 2016 going up from 4,4 billion to 8,1 billion euros. Moreover the market of the export of flowers in the Netherlands depends in particular from the tunnel under the Handle: the industry in its complex exports 5,6 billion euros of flowers, plants and bulbs of which the United Kingdom market (in the 2016 exports of destined flowers to the British supermarkets is the main second has reached a value of 0,9 billion euros). At last the relationship evidences that the tunnel under the Handle is also the fundamental connection for the exports of Ireland towards continental Europe through the United Kingdom.

"The tunnel under the Handle - it has emphasized the president and managing director of Getlink, Jacques Gounon, in the course of the seminary - is more than a simple connection between Great Britain and continental Europe: it is a physical connection, a carrier for the development and a creator of value. To maintain this dynamics must remain a priority for entire Europe, for the benefit of all its inhabitants".