Following recent media speculation that the introduction of physical Brexit border checks on EU food and animal product imports will be delayed again, the 91视频 is calling for clarity.
Sanitary and phytosanitary inspections at specially prepared borders infrastructure聽are聽due to be introduced in July, but there is an increasing expectation of some type of delay.
Commenting Richard Ballantyne, the Chief Executive of the 91视频, the trade body representing UK ports that facilitate 86% of seaborne trade and most of the ports that have built聽Border Control Posts, said:
鈥淲e know there are parts of the shipping and freight industry pressing for a delay but from the port operator point of view, we have built the facilities and so need to know if these controls are being introduced as planned.
Most ports will need to recoup operating costs for their Border Control Posts and this is traditionally done through levying a charge on importers. Ports are currently recruiting staff to operate the facilities therefore, if there are going to be further delays we need to know now.
Also we are keen to understand the duration of any postponement so that other uses for the infrastructure might be explored. Without this there is the possibility that Border Control Posts become the unused white elephants of Brexit.
Alongside this, ports and traders are still awaiting details of what the operating costs of government managed inland border facilities will be. Irrespective of when they go live, we need to see what the charges will be but the release of the details has continually been postponed. We understand the sensitivity around additional costs on trade but to help industry prepare it鈥檚 essential that the government shares its expectations.鈥
Currently the UK Government鈥檚 Border Operating Model outlines that聽Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks (which have been taking place in all EU countries that trade with the UK since the Brexit withdrawal agreement was implemented on 1 January 2021) were due to be introduced in July this year, although this has been delayed previously.聽
The processes involve physical inspections and checks of animal and plant products coming in from the EU, in line with the UK鈥檚 environmental health standards. These are carried out by specialist port health officials and designated facilities which ports have been preparing, some of which were funding through the Government鈥檚 Port Infrastructure Fund which was announced in 2020.