UK Government delays the introduction of import border controls

9th May 2022

UK Government delays the introduction of requirements for inbound GB border controls

The UK Government has announced that no further import controls on EU goods will be introduced this year. Controls were scheduled to begin in July following our departure from the EU. The following measures, which were planned for introduction from July 2022, will now not be introduced:

  • A requirement for further Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks on EU imports currently at destination to be moved to Border Control Post (BCP).
  • A requirement for safety and security declarations on EU imports.
  • A requirement for further health certification and SPS checks for EU imports.
  • Prohibitions and restrictions on the import of chilled meats from the EU.

The Government will publish a Target Operating Model in the Autumn that will set out our new regime of border import controls and will target the end of 2023 as the revised introduction date for our controls regime. The new approach will apply equally to goods from the EU and goods from the rest of the world.

Commenting on the announcement, Alan Mitchell, Chief Executive of Fife Chamber, said: “This is a very sensible decision. It would be wrong to impose new administrative burdens and risk disruption at ports and to supply chains at this point. Rules for importing and exporting are already complicated and Fife businesses have challenges aplenty: they don’t need new obstacles to trade.”

Click here for a step-by-step guide to importing from the EU.

If you import or export and need assistance, contact Fife Chamber at [email protected]

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