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Welcome to our Brexit Ezine.

On 1 April, the UK will introduce new import controls on certain food products including plant and animal products.

Irish food businesses exporting food to the UK (excluding Northern Ireland) need to be ready for these new UK import requirements, and need to ensure everyone in their supply chain are also prepared.

These new UK import controls will impact on exporters of all products of animal origin, including all meat, dairy, fish and composite products, as well as regulated plants and plant products.

The Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland means that no new procedures apply to goods moving between Northern Ireland and Ireland (and other EU Member States) in either direction.

Irish Exporters: Get ready for new UK Import Controls from 1 April

This week the Government updated Gov.ie/Brexit with information on ‘Preparing for UK Import Controls (1 April)’.

For goods exported to the UK (excluding Northern Ireland), the UK is progressively introducing new food import requirements on 1 April and 1 July 2021. This approach is set out in detail in the UK Border Operating Model.

From 1 April, Irish exporters need to be aware that the UK will begin to apply documentary controls to certain food products including foods of animal origin and plants and plant products.

This means that Irish exporters of these food products will have to undertake a number of additional steps to comply with UK import controls. This includes the requirement to pre-notify the UK authorities, through your UK importer, and where an Export Health Certificate is required to ensure that this is obtained and travels with the consignment to the UK.

Please note from 1 April, the UK will no longer allow the import (or transit via the landbridge) of fresh meat preparations (e.g. sausages) or fresh minced meat.

From 1 July, the UK will also begin to carry out physical and identity controls on certain categories of plant and animal products at UK Border Control Posts.

A range of Government supports are available, including training and grants, to help your business deal with these changes.

Information on the new UK Import Controls is available on Gov.ie and includes:

You will also need to engage with your UK importer and with the UK authorities in respect of UK import controls.

UK Government webinars for EU Exporters

The UK's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is hosting a number of webinars outlining the changes coming in from 1 April to the requirements for importing food and drink from the EU to Great Britain.

The series include webinars for:

UK importers of foods of animal origin, including two webinars dedicated to composite food products and one webinar dedicated to fish and fishery products
EU exporters of foods of animal origin
Rules of origin - tariffs and rules of origin for agri-foods moving between the UK and EU

Register for these webinars at the following link.

To support these sessions Defra are also running training webinar sessions which include a walkthrough of the IPAFFS registration process. Registration for these are available at following link.

FSAI Brexit Resources

Visit the FSAI's Brexit Resources page to find all our food business resources in one place.

For up-to-date information on Brexit, visit our website at www.fsai.ie/Brexit or email Brexit@fsai.ie if you have any specific questions.

Look out for future FSAI Brexit Ezines.

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