Press release
Minister Heydon advises stakeholders to continue their preparations for UK import controls
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon T.D., today urged food business operators to continue to prepare for the introduction of import controls on export of certain food and agricultural goods to Great Britain. He emphasised that the changes being introduced by the UK Government have been postponed, and not cancelled.
Addressing the 24th meeting of the Consultative Committee of Stakeholders on Brexit, the Minister urged those working in the Ireland-Great Britain food supply chain to use the additional time to intensify and refine their preparations for the changes that will now apply from 1 January and 1 July 2022.
Commenting on the resilience of the agri-food sector, Minister Heydon added:
“Given the volume and value of trade in both directions, and the integrated nature of agri-food supply chains, the UK choice to leave the Single Market and Customs Union has had a profound impact on the trading environment, and has meant unavoidable new burdens on companies through the additional requirements and controls now in place. It is now over nine months since the end of the transition period, and we see evidence of businesses adapting to the permanent changes brought about by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The government is committed to continuing to support the sector in adapting to these new trading arrangements and in preparing for the further Brexit-related changes coming in 2022”.
The Committee also heard updates from the Department of Foreign Affairs on recent developments at EU level in respect of the EU-UK relationship, including the ongoing engagement on the implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol.
Note for Editors
Businesses can get in touch with the Department’s dedicated email address brexitcall@agricuture.gov.ie or by telephone at (01) 607 2830 with any Brexit related queries. Detailed advice and resources are also available on the Government of Ireland website at: www.Gov.ie/Brexit
On 14 September UK Government made an announcement in House of Commons that it was postponing the introduction of its new SPS import controls which were due to come into force on 1 October 2021.
The specific changes announced by UK Government are:
• the requirement for pre-notification of agri-food imports from EU will now apply from 1 January 2022 not 1 October this year.
• The requirement for Export Health Certification of most EU food exports to GB will now apply from 1 July 2022 not 1 October 2021.
• Physical checks on SPS goods at GB Border Control Posts, which were due to come into operation on 1 January 2022 and 1 March 2022, are now also postponed to 1 July 2022 for product categories including live animals.
These new UK import controls will impact on exporters of all products of animal origin, including all meat, dairy, fish and composite products incorporating products of animal origin, certain animal by-products, high risk food not of animal origin as well as regulated plants and plant products.
Anyone moving goods from, to and through the UK (excluding Northern Ireland) should register with the Department as an importer/exporter and arrange registration on TRACES as appropriate, by contacting the Department at brexitregistration@agriculture.gov.ie. They should also familiarise themselves with the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) controls that have and will come into effect.