New rules for trade with UK from 1 October
The United Kingdom (UK) is gradually introducing a certification obligation for agri-food and fishery products from 1 October and 1 January. Border controls will also be introduced from January and March 2022. The British government recently published a new version of the so-called Border Operating Model. This includes the already mentioned dates for the introduction, which have already been announced earlier. What entrepreneurs have to arrange has not changed.
The Border Operating Model (BOM) sets out how the British government will introduce the new import rules in three phases. According to the BOM, certification of 'high-risk' agricultural goods, such as trees, perennials and live animals, has been mandatory since 1 January 2021. Deadlines of October 1, 2021 and January 1, 2022 apply for all other agricultural products, with the BOM finalization in March 2022.
October 1 2021 and January 1 2022 : Mandatory certification
For meat, eggs, dairy, fishery products and other products of animal origin, a veterinary health certificate is mandatory for export from the EU to the UK from 1 October 2021. The UK had previously announced that it would introduce this on April 1, 2021, but that has been postponed by the UK to October 1, 2021.
For 'low-risk' agricultural goods such as cut flowers, vegetables and fruit, a phytosanitary certificate is mandatory from 1 January 2022. A certification obligation also applies to organic products from 1 January 2022.
January 1 and March 2022: British customs control starts
From 1 January 2022, physical checks will be applied at designated border control posts in the UK on transports of meat, eggs, dairy, fishery products and many (by)products of animal origin. This also applies to 'high risk' food and non-animal origin and 'high risk' plant-based agricultural commodities such as trees and perennials. This was previously July 1, 2021.
Physical checks on live animals and 'low-risk' agricultural goods such as cut flowers, fruit and vegetables will be carried out at UK-designated border control posts from March 2022, but only if there is sufficient capacity in the UK's view.
Which ports have a checkpoint for which transports will be announced on the NVWA website around the implementation dates and the UK government website. Transports are then checked twice, on the EU and UK side of the border.
