Almost one in four – 24 per cent – of courier companies do not understand new international licensing rules and have not prepared for them, according to new research.

The new rules, which came into force last month, mean courier drivers that are taking goods to the EU must have an operator licence and carry out a number of administrative requirements.

The study, carried out by return loads platform Courier Exchange, suggests that this has led to nearly a third of courier businesses focussing their efforts on expanding in the UK. Only one in 20 are planning to expand in the EU.

The results show that just under half of courier companies are delivering up to 50 per cent more parcels than they did before the pandemic.

For those that do understand the rule change, one in seven said they believe they will have a negative impact on their businesses.
“Companies not fully understanding the changes will create both uncertainty and more bureaucracy,” said Almaz Cleary, sales manager, Courier Exchange. “However, identifying and getting to grips with pressures like these is key to making positive progress as an industry.
“It’s also great that so many companies are looking to technology as a way to help with everyday pressures. This is how the industry will grow and prosper even further.”

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