New Food Checks Proposed by UK for October

The UK is proposing to bring in new Irish Sea border checks on food products. It is part of a Brexit deal between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Plans are in four phases, starting from October.

The UK previously delayed introducing new border processes without EU agreement, which led to the start of legal proceedings. They sent a roadmap to the EU at the end of March, setting out how they should work together to implement things.

The new protocol creates a trade border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It forms a starting point for ongoing discussions between officials. Meanwhile, the UK’s chief negotiator, Lord Frost, urges the EU to quickly find a new approach and new solutions”.

The roadmap covers over 20 separate issues including medicines, pet travel and VAT on second hand cars.

Troubles ahead?

At last some agreements are made, but many issues still need resolving, as potential problems are highlighted. Agreeing a deal is only half the story, implementing it in the real world is another thing entirely.

The UK’s scheme for sending supermarket goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is being phased in over the next couple of years. This means probably having to ask for another extension on the grace period before European laws are fully respected.

In addition, the EU also needs to agree on the sale of British regulated medicines in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, dates are still unknown on when building will start on customs facilities that the UK has promised the EU.

The Brexit Minister suggests that the UK will decide in the coming months whether the protocol can work long term. The biggest practical challenge of the sea border has been the movement of food products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. While the rest of the UK left, NI remained part of the EU’s single market for goods. This means food items entering the territory need professional certification and are subject to new checks and controls at ports.

The two sides agreed an initial three month grace period. This meant supermarkets could still sell products without needing to comply with all the EU’s usual certification requirements. The grace period is extended to October, with the roadmap suggesting what happens next.

Four phases

The UK will roll out official certification in four phases, with the first stage in October covering fresh meat products. The second phase at the end of January 2022 covers dairy products, plants and wine. The third and fourth phases cover fruit and vegetable marketing standards, pet food, organics and composite products. There are no set dates yet for phases three and four. A full timeline “requires additional clarity on infrastructure and staffing”.

Progress on integrating the UK and EU certification systems is also required. The intention is for digitisation of the agri-food certification and verification process. Users should register by next month, final testing is in August, roll out in October, and integration with the EU system in January.

Some parts of the roadmap are vague though. This includes no target dates for the construction of permanent border control posts at Northern Ireland’s ports. This is despite already having planning permission and funding for these facilities.

However, some areas are a lot clearer. For example, the UK proposes to issue guidance by the end of the month on long term arrangements for business to consumer parcel deliveries.

Brexit has caused a lot of damage that cannot be undone. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said the Northern Ireland Protocol is the best outcome for dealing with it. People now need to focus on fully implementing the agreements, and do what they can to limit the damage.

Mr Martin claims Ireland and the EU are in solution mode in a process to resolve difficulties.

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