The UK is implementing a phased approach to the introduction of its import requirements, including SPS controls. Import controls on Products of Animal Origin entering Great Britain will come into effect from 1st October 2021.
There are no discussions to develop an aligned border operating model process between the EU and the UK. However, there are discussions ongoing at EU and Government level to get full clarity on the UK import requirements.
The UK Authorities published a Border Operating Model (BOM) in July 2020, outlining the requirements for trading with Great Britain post-Brexit which was updated in October and December 2020. However, there are still a wide range of areas where more clarity is needed and, whilst we expected the next iteration of the BOM in May, this did not occur and we have no definitive date as to when it might be updated.
In the meantime, the Department continues to engage regularly with DEFRA, including at senior official level, to press for decisions on outstanding issues, including pre-notification periods and details to be pre-notified, certification queries, requirements for products transiting the landbridge and Border Control Post (BCP) infrastructure, processes and procedures in British ports.
The Department has had very good technical engagement with DEFRA before and in the period since 1st January to ensure coordination between officials conducting import checks on goods from Great Britain in Irish BCPs and officials in the UK responsible for communicating the EU import requirements to stakeholders and officials in the UK responsible for meeting the EU import requirements, including for example, in relation to export health certification. This engagement continues and is now focussing on UK import requirements for products of animal origin for the benefit of Irish exporters.
