The UK's departure from the EU Single Market and Customs Union at the end of 2020, in accordance with the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), has resulted in very significant changes to the EU-UK trading environment.
The UK has been applying a phased approach to the introduction of new import control requirements. In this regard the Deputy may wish to note that the UK Government announced this week that the next phase of these controls, due to come into force from 1st October 2021, has been deferred, with pre-notification requirements now commencing on 1st January 2022, and export health certification and Border Control Post inspections commencing on 1st July 2022.
I would emphasise that these new UK requirements will represent significant change, and all exporters of products of animal origin will be affected by them, including exporters of meat, meat preparations, prepared consumer foods, dairy products, fishery products, honey and eggs.
The Department has been engaged in a wide range of activities to get ready, and to help industry get ready, and we will be continuing these activities to meet the newly announced UK timelines. We have engaged extensively with all stakeholders in the supply chain through trials, testing, information webinars and training sessions.
The Department is also implementing an extensive additional staff resource plan to support the increased demand for export health certification, and IT systems and infrastructure has been upgraded across the country to support the provision of export health certification to businesses.
The Department also continues to engage regularly with the UK’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to press for decisions on outstanding issues, including certification queries, requirements for products transiting the landbridge, UK Border Control Post infrastructure and procedures in British ports.
There has also been significant engagement and collaboration between my Department and both Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland on Brexit issues, including around the introduction of new UK import requirements.
There has been a wide range of jointly organised business events, participation in Government stakeholder consultations, the development of information materials for food businesses and, specifically with Bord Bia, collaboration on their Brexit Barometer and Brexit Readiness Radar initiatives. Both Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland continue to grow the range of supports they have available for Irish food exporters, not just for exporters to UK but also to support businesses in diversifying into other third country markets.
