The UK government has implemented new checks on food and agricultural imports and exports to and from the EU, adopting a gradual enforcement strategy.
- Medium-risk products will now face identity and physical checks at ports, enhancing biosecurity against pests and diseases.
- High-risk goods, previously inspected at destinations, are now subject to border checks to mitigate potential threats.
- Logistics UK reports no significant disruptions yet, but stresses the need for more clarity on the phased check system.
- Concerns about potential delays and truck driver shortages have been raised, highlighting the industry’s operational challenges.
This week marks the start of a pivotal change in the import and export process between the UK and the EU with the introduction of new checks on food and agricultural products. The government’s strategy is a cautious one, ensuring that they ‘do not go from nought to 100mph on day one.’ Medium-risk products will now undergo identity and physical checks directly at ports, which aim to protect against potential pests and diseases threatening the UK’s biosecurity.
High-risk products, which were previously checked at their ultimate destinations, are now undergoing these essential checks at the border. Baroness Neville-Rolfe, a Cabinet Office minister, has emphasised the necessity of these risk-based checks to shield the UK’s economy and agriculture from diseases. She assures continuous support for the industry in this transition, underlining that the interim measures cannot sustain the manifold threats posed to the UK’s farming sector.
Nichola Mallon, Logistics UK’s head of trade and devolved policy, has noted that, thus far, the new system has not caused any major disruptions. However, she points out that essential information regarding the specifics of the phased approach is still lacking. Clarity is required regarding the number of inspections, what commodities are subject to these checks, and the timeline for scaling up physical inspections along with the compliance regime supporting the new charging system.
In the House of Lords, Liberal Democrat peer Lord Redesdale expressed concerns over the significant wait times trucks might face—a concern that could exacerbate the existing shortage of truck drivers. Delays could extend up to 10 hours, affecting haulage companies already operating on extremely thin margins. Lord Redesdale highlights the potential for a knock-on effect of truck shortages, which could impact the supply chain significantly.
In response to these concerns, Biosecurity Minister Lord Douglas-Miller has issued clear instructions to port health authorities to avoid rushing the implementation, emphasizing a steady build-up in checks according to risk categories rather than an abrupt escalation. His directive is to maintain a controlled pace in enhancing the inspection system to prevent immediate operational strain on the logistics sector.
The initial implementation of post-Brexit checks marks a cautious yet essential step towards safeguarding the UK’s biosecurity and economic interests.
