Well that's Brexit all over isn't it? We asked to be treated as a third country (because that's the effect of what the various Tory red lines ended up meaning) so the EU treats us as a third country. But then the UK Government doesn't have the wherewithal to do the same in reverse. We won't employ enough boarder agents to man the necessary border posts to process EU visitors so they have to keep using e-gates because that's cheaper. Another example would be that we won't spend the money to do the relevant customs checks on goods coming into the country so stuff from the EU to the UK goes unchecked whilst EU states do carry out the checks on stuff that goes UK to EU. This was what Boris' oven ready deal really meant!
It is even more silly than that .
UK does not carry out the checks but businesses need to pay for them anyway twofold :
1. To custom agents for paperwork
2. To the government for custom officials carrying the checks - which they don’t .
In addition to that each business exporting / importing had to waste time and money to prepare for new custom arrangements .
Also if one lorry of goods comes from the EU with multiple consignments - EACH is treated and charged individually for custom / quality checks - which are not carried out.
Of course all costs are passed on to consumers.
You could not make it up .