UK Government postpones implementation of new customs and SPS requirements

The IEA supports the following announcement made on the 15th of December 2021 by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding the UK Government’s decision to postpone the implementation of the new UK customs and SPS requirements.

“[On] 15 December 2021, the UK Government has announced that the new UK customs and SPS import requirements which were due to apply to imports to Britain from 1 January 2022 have been postponed in respect of imports of goods from Ireland. The full UK Government statement on this can be accessed here.

This announcement means that the current arrangements for importing goods to Britain from Ireland will now continue to apply after 1 January 2022 and until the UK Government provides further information. Further detail on this announcement in respect of agri-food goods, based on information provided by the UK Government, is set out below:

For animal product controls this means:

• The new pre-notification requirements being introduced on EU imports from 1 January 2022 for Products of Animal Origin and Animal by-Products will not apply to goods imported from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain.
• Existing requirements (introduced in January 2021) for Live Animals, Products of Animal Origin (POAO) under safeguard measures, germinal products and high risk Animal By-Products remain unchanged, i.e. imports of these goods from the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to GB and indirect movements from Northern Ireland (NI) moved via the ROI to GB, will continue to require pre-notification, to be accompanied by appropriate documentation and certification, and will continue be subject to risk-based import checks.
• Direct movements from NI to GB of NI Qualifying animal products, will continue to have unfettered access to GB

For plant and plant product controls this means:

• The new pre-notification requirements being introduced on EU imports from 1 January 2022 will not apply to goods imported from the Republic of Ireland to GB.
• Existing requirements for ‘high-priority’ plants remain unchanged, i.e. imports of these goods from the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to GB and indirect movements from Northern Ireland (NI) moved via the ROI to GB, will continue to require pre-notification, to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate, and will be subject to risk-based import checks.
• Direct movements from NI to GB of NI Qualifying plants and plant products, will continue to have unfettered access to GB.

High Risk Food not of Animal Origin

Businesses moving high risk foods not of animal origin (HRFNAO) directly from the Island of Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) into Great Britain, will also be exempt from the requirement to pre notify. This is a temporary arrangement and will be reviewed early next year.

Transits – Island of Ireland to European Continent via Great Britain 

• From 1 January 2022, all other POAO and low risk ABP moving from the Island of Ireland to continental EU countries via Great Britain are exempt from these new requirements until further notice.
• Pre-notification is not required for these consignments.
• These goods can enter and exit Great Britain through any point of entry until 30 June 2022.

Transits – European Continent to Island of Ireland via Great Britain

• From 1 January 2022, all other POAO and  ABP from continental EU countries to the island of Ireland via Great Britain will need to be pre-notified on IPAFFS at least four hours before they arrive into Great Britain.
• GB authorities will need to be informed once the consignment has left GB by emailing GBtransit-notification@defra.gov.uk with the subject line ‘confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’.
• These goods can enter and exit Great Britain through any point of entry until 30 June 2022.

The email will need to include the following information:

• IPAFFS notification reference number
• details of means of transport
• date consignment has left GB territory
• copy of commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)

It should be noted that these changes have been postponed and not cancelled. The arrangements are temporary and the UK government has indicated that this arrangement will continue to kept under review.

It is therefore important for Irish exporters to maximise the use of the additional time provided by this announcement to further prepare their supply chains for these Brexit-related changes. Exporters must ensure that everyone in the supply chain, including the UK importer, is clear on their roles and responsibilities.

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An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An Teach Talmhaíochta, Sráid Chill Dara, Baile Átha Cliath 2, D02 WK12

Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, D02 WK12″