(Belga) Flemish ports should already anticipate a possible independence for Scotland, Flemish Minister-President Jan Jambon said on Monday after a meeting with Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh.

Ms Sturgeon’s nationalist-environmental government is considering a new independence referendum in 2023. “If Scotland becomes independent in a few years, it would like to enter the European Union as soon as possible,” said Mr Jambon (N-GO). “Since then, she no longer wants to take her exports through England, but to send them directly to the continent by sea. This is a huge opportunity that Antwerp and Zeebrugge would have foreseen. Our ports must be ready to become. The main partner of Scots at that time”. Flemish nationalist leaders are leading an economic mission to the United Kingdom from Flemish ports, which passed through Edinburgh on Monday before Liverpool, London and the port of Hull. Effects of Brexit on Customs: From January 1, all goods imported into the United Kingdom must be declared on arrival. As for the foodstuff controls, which should have already been in place, it has been postponed until September 2022, according to Jeroen Sarrazin, Brexit coordinator for Belgian customs. Doubts are growing about the ability of the British to achieve this and the Brexit lockdown may still arise. Flanders, for its part, says it has received 89 investments since Brexit. These are companies that were considering investing in the UK but chose Flanders, often UK companies wanting to secure their activities in Europe by opening a branch or head office. These investments amounted to 2 billion euros. “And we believe that there will be even more economic opportunities”, according to Antwerp Alderman for Port Policy, Anick de Ridder (N-VA). “Look at all those heavy goods vehicles passing through the Channel Tunnel. If they got on a boat instead and headed for our ports, they could have announced their loads six hours earlier and saved time wasting. ” (belga)