New customs rules for food entering Britain from the EU start to be enforced from 30 April but importers warn critical gaps in the system are set to result in delays, extra costs and lorries being turned back across the Channel
and that border delays may see perishable foods, some £18bn of which arrives in Britain from the EU each year, spoiled before produce hits shelves or its shelf life reduced.start to be enforced at the end of April, importers and hauliers have complained of critical gaps in Britain’s new state-of-the-art customs system, ranging from “wholly inadequate”to a lack of clarity on issues including the scale of fees that could add as much as £1,200 to the cost of a single truckload of goods.
If the same errors are presented when the system goes live on 30 April, industry bodies are warning that consignments could be declared in breach of import rules and potentially barred from entering the country. Imported foodstuffs and plants from the EU classified as medium risk, including German hams, French cheeses and fish such as oysters, must now arrive at the UK border with 24-hours notice and be accompanied by health and hygiene paperwork, including a document known as an Export Health Certificate which needs to be signed by a vet or health official in the exporting country.
The industry is asking for the continuation of an existing scheme which allows “high-risk” plants and seeds imported from the Continent to be certified on arrival at nurseries while the new post-Brexit customs inspection regime comes into operation next month. Without such measures consumers face shortages and a lack of choice for the spring and summer planting seasons, the HTA said.
Mr Barnes said the situation was being exacerbated by a lack of detail from the Government, including the fee that importers will pay to cover the cost of inspections. He wrote: “There is an extraordinary amount of detail missing on how BCPs will work and operate when handling high-risk plants… Without answers and clarity and without any of these processes being able to be properly tested in April, it is unacceptable and irresponsible to proceed as the government intends.
The Government insisted that it has sufficient infrastructure to implement the new border checks and will introduce them in a way that will minimise disruption to cross-border trade with the EU.
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