The Dutch transport sector is increasingly troubled by stowaways crossing from mainland Europe to Britain in or under lorries. Trade association Transport en Logistiek Nederland (TLN) has requested urgent consultations on this development in a letter to state secretary Fred Teeven (Security & Justice).
Problem is shifting northwards
Previously, stowaways would hide in lorries from Calais in France. To prevent this, it was decided that lorries should no longer stop within a 150-kilometre radius of Calais. However, this has caused the problem to shift. Stowaways now often board lorries at the port of Hoek van Holland. According to TLN, it is impossible to say how many stowaways have now made the crossing via Dutch ports. However, many calls are being received from concerned business owners.
European cooperation
TLN hopes that Teeven will raise the issue at European level. At present, the stowaway problem appears to be being passed back and forth between the countries concerned. If British customs officials discover refugees in a lorry, this could result in fines of thousands of euros for companies.The shippers’ organisation EVO wants the UK to waive fines for transport companies if they voluntarily report the presence of illegal migrants in their lorries.
