In recent times, however, those means have been reduced.
Les coûts de transactions existaient avant. Ils ont été diminués.
Transaction costs existed before; they have been reduced.
M. Kellett-Bowman poursuit en expliquant que les effectifs des services douaniers ont été diminués, que ceux qui restent ont perdu le moral, et que l'ensemble, bien entendu, implique des conséquences que l'on ne parvient pas à chiffrer.
Mr Kellett-Bowman continues by explaining that manpower in the customs services has been reduced, that there is a loss of morale among those who remain, and that, of course, the whole situation involves consequences which cannot be quantified.