Further delays to final phase of border changes
29 April 2022elected
The UK government has elected to further delay implementation of the final changes affecting movement of goods from the EU to the UK, viz:
ID and sanitary / phyto-sanitary (SPS) checks moved from destination to the border
Requirement for safety and security declarations
Requirement for health certificates
Prohibitions and restrictions on import of chilled meats
These changes were due to take place over July to November 2022 but will now be delayed until 2023 – detail of revised timings will be announced in the Autumn.
It is also likely that the final form of border administration will be somewhat different to what was initially envisaged.
The government has been working on a long-term plan for evolving border controls for both goods and people and the measures announced in the Autumn are expected to incorporate some of this thinking, especially greater digitisation and the targeting of effort according to likely risk.
The reason given for delay is to avoid placing additional financial burdens on UK businesses when the cost of living is already rising fast.
Note, however, that changes implemented under the first two phases of activity (eg: the need to pre-advise officials of incoming loads using the IPAFFS system) will not be reversed.
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