Flagging-out forgers betray UK
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• Up to 1,000 hauliers who flagged out to the Netherlands could be operating illegally, the Road Haulage Association has warned.
The shock finding follows the collapse of SOS Eurofiag which issued forged Dutch documents called Interim Operators' Licences to UK hauliers. However, there is no such document recognised in the Netherlands.
Investigations by the RHA have revealed that about 1,000 forged licences could have been produced and issued to hauliers. The association has been inundated with calls from worried hauliers including those that had used SOS Eurof lag and those which had used other licensing agencies.
"We don't know how many people are affected but we have taken about 100 telephone calls," says RHA regional director, Chris Wright. "What is certain is that there are a large number of people who are now looking at reflagging out or bringing their vehicles back to the UK."
If hauliers choose the latter option then they will need expert advice in order to minimise lost insurance premiums and to facilitate the smooth transfer of their insurance from the Netherlands to the UK.
Another potential problem is that operators have paid vehicle excise duty to SOS Euroflag but it is understood that not all of it reached the relevant Dutch authorities.
However, Wright believes that the Dutch are unlikely to chase operators for any missing VED payments. He stresses that the Dutch authorities have pledged to treat sympathetically any UK operators who are found to be without a valid 0licence.
The RHA has set up a hotline to help hauliers affected by the Eurofiag collapse.
• Contact: 01733 261131.