UK delays post-Brexit border checks on food for fifth time

LONDON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) — The government of the United Kingdom (UK) has revealed another delay in the implementation of post-Brexit checks on food, plant, and animal products from the European Union (EU).

The Cabinet Office has released the Border Target Operating Model, which outlines the schedule for the introduction of these checks that aim to enhance the UK’s protection against biosecurity threats and establish a top-notch border system.

As per the latest update from the Office, health certification for imports of medium-risk animal products, plants, plant products, and high-risk food (and feed) of non-animal origin from the EU will now commence on January 31, 2024.

This means that the implementation has been pushed back by an additional three months from the previously planned late October period.

Meanwhile, the documentary and risk-based identity and physical checks on these mentioned products will be implemented in April 2024, with safety and security declarations for EU imports to be enforced in October 2024.

The revised timetable has been instituted to offer stakeholders extra time to prepare for the new checks, according to the Cabinet Office.

“Our Border Target Operating Model will ensure more efficient trading for businesses, protect against biosecurity threats, and further crack down on illegal imports such as firearms and drugs,” stated Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office.

The Office anticipates that the impact of border controls on food inflation will be minimal, with a projected increase of less than 0.2 percent over the course of three years.