HM Government Admin1

Q42. We are authorised traders into NI for composite foods - when will this end ? A. To provide a clear basis on which businesses and citizens can operate as UK-EU discussions move forward, the UK Government published a Written Ministerial Statement on 6 September setting out that the Government will maintain “standstill” arrangements. Under these arrangements, we will continue to operate the Protocol on its current basis. This will include extending the grace periods and easements that are currently in force. We will ensure that reasonable notice is provided in the event that these arrangements were to change, to enable businesses and citizens to prepare.

Q41. Why is there a driver shortage? A. The driver shortage is a widespread problem affecting countries across Europe and also the United States, caused by a range of factors, including an ageing workforce. In early September the Government announced a package of measures to help tackle the HGV driver shortage, including plans to streamline the process for new drivers to gain their HGV licence and to increase the number of driving tests able to be conducted. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-further-action-to-tackle-hgv-driver-shortage On 25/09/21, the Government announced further measures to tackle the HGV driver shortage. These include up to 4,000 people to be trained as new HGV drivers to help tackle skills shortages and support more people to launch careers within the logistics sector and 5,000 HGV drivers and 5,500 poultry workers added to the existing visa scheme until Christmas 2021 to ease supply chain pressures in food and haulage industries during exceptional circumstances this year. Further detail can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/more-support-to-help-people-to-become-hgv-drivers-among-package-of-government-measures-to-ease-risk-of-shortages

Q40. Will the DEFRA Live Animal Infrastructure Fund be going ahead? A. We have conducted market testing to determine whether a live animal infrastructure grant fund would be the best way of providing BCP resilience and more choice for traders. The findings are being analysed and we expect to make a decision shortly.

Q39. How will you make sure EU exporters and authorities in charge of certification take this new timetable seriously? After all, why wouldn't they expect a third delay? A. We have been very clear in discussions with EU member states and traders that this temporary easement has been provided to allow traders to recover from the pandemic and to allow EU member states time to generate sufficient certifier capacity. A very clear messaging campaign, starting with the publishing of BCP designations and opening times, tests of various routes, and what EU traders need to do will be mounted between Jan and Jul.

Q38. How will the 1st Jan 22 requirement for prenotification be enforced, in order to provide the desired assurances on food / feed safety? A. Pre-notifications will be cross-referenced with import declarations to ensure importers are complying with the requirement.

Q37. Can you confirm if SPS charges will also be put back to July 2022? A. Yes. No inspection charges for those commodities impacted by the delay will be introduced until 1 July.

Q36. SPS controls serve a purpose- protecting biosecurity, animal health, public health and food safety. Has there been an assessment within gov- CVO, FSA etc that the risk associated with this change is acceptable and can be managed- if so are measures are being introduced by gov to do this? A. All decisions were taken in full consultation with the Chief Veterinary Officer, Animal and Plant Health Agency and Food Standards Agency. These temporary, practical arrangements recognise the need to ensure biosecurity across the UK whilst balancing the need to remove barriers to trade. We already have SPS controls in place on high-risk goods, such as live animals and high-priority plants and plant products, and checks on these goods will continue to be carried out at Places of Destination. We are introducing pre-notification, which is an important measure in helping the Food Standards Agency to monitor imports and trace any food safety issues back to source.

Q35. Is there any SPS impact and these re-timings for air cargo? A. The delay in introducing pre-notification until January, and physical checks and certification until July, applies to all sanitary and phytosanitary goods imported from the EU, whether arrival is by air , sea or tunnel. All current controls for live animals, POAO under safeguard measures and high priority plants and plant products remain unchanged. Checks on third country list imports i.e. Rest of World, remain unchanged.

Q34. Will new border control points be ready by January 2022? A. The recent delays to import controls announced by Government means that Border Control Posts will not be required until 1st July 2022. Infrastructure plans were on track for January and all commercial infrastructure will be complete and designated early in order to allow businesses maximum time to plan for July. The two inland Border Control Posts in Kent will also be designated early and ready to begin physical checks in July.

Thank you for your post. Items moving between countries normally attract customs duty and import VAT. With the UK-EU Trade & Cooperation Agreement (TCA) now in place it means that there will be no customs duty on goods moving between UK and EU, if the goods meet rules of origin under the agreement. In broad terms this means that goods imported into the UK from the EU must have originated in the EU, and vice versa for imports into the EU. Goods imported into the UK and EU and declared as meeting the rules of origin to claim zero tariff treatment under TCA will not require formal proof of origin if the consignment does not exceed £1000. Import to free circulation and payment of any potential customs duty and VAT does not in itself confer origin status for the goods in the importing country Please find more information on Rules of Origin by visiting https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-your-goods-meet-the-rules-of-origin