EU food checks delayed for 5th time

UK border checks on food, animal and plant products imported from the EU have been delayed for a fifth time, the government has confirmed, in a move welcomed by many trade bodies, but described by the NFU as “hugely frustrating”.

Three years after the introduction of full controls on UK exports into the EU, Ministers said that the first stage of the UK’s own border operations model would begin in January 2024, rather than this October following the publication of its final Border Target Operating Model.

The full regime will be introduced during the course of 2024, with SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) checks on medium-risk food, animal and plant products from the EU now not coming into force until 30 April and checks for live animals from the EU due to start in late 2024.

However, import controls have since been consistently delayed over the past two years, with the move of the October deadline to January 2024 the fifth to be moved back. 

According to a survey of EU suppliers by the Cold Chain Federation (CCF), the October deferral could avoid disruption during the Christmas trading window, with 39% of European food producing businesses supplying goods to the UK unaware of the new rules.

However, the National Farmers Union (NFU) has lobbied against further postponement to checks, because it is unfair to British producers, who have had to endure checks on food exports to the bloc for the past two years, while EU farmers face no such regime and consequently enjoy a competitive advantage.

Under the new post-Brexit import rules, from January 2024, export health certificates signed by a qualified certifying officer will become mandatory for every consignment of ‘medium risk’ meat, dairy and fish products exported from the EU to the UK.

The CCF had written to ministers, to share their survey’s findings, requesting that the October implementation be moved back to the 31st January 2024, because they believe that the government needs to deliver a much more effective communications campaign, to increase awareness of the change among EU businesses.

The CCF survey also found that 78% of EU businesses believed that costs will increase to their UK customers as a result of the new rules, and while 60% said they planned to continue servicing UK customers at the same frequency after implementation, 10% had planned to reduce the frequency and 7% planned to stop serving the UK altogether.

With the current regulations for imports of foodstuffs remaining unchanged, there is a further three months to prepare your suppliers for the changeover and keep your supply chains running freely. 

We can guide you on the new import procedures and help you to educate your suppliers, with full support for all your import and export documentary needs.