Britain once again delays Brexit border regulations
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Britain has delayed implementing post-Brexit physical checks on so-called "medium risk" fruit and vegetables imported from the EU for a further six months, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said on Friday.
Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016 but, such was the scale of the task to untangle supply chains and erect customs borders, that it is only this year setting new rules.
The first phase of Britain's new border model, requiring additional certification, came into force on January 31.
A second phase started on April 30, introducing physical checks for products such as chilled and frozen meat, fish, cheese, eggs, dairy products and certain cut flowers and seeds.
However, physical checks on fruit and vegetables have been delayed several times and have now been pushed out from January 2025 to July 1, 2025. Defra said:
"This easement is a temporary measure to ensure that new (Labour government) ministers have a full and thorough opportunity to review the planned implementation of further border controls, and an opportunity to listen to businesses across import supply chains," it said.
The new checks will add costs of £200m (€237m) to the fruit and vegetable industry, according to industry body, the Fresh Produce Consortium, which has warned of higher prices for consumers.
Defra also said that seven commodity groups, including apples and pears, would be recategorised from "medium risk" to "low risk", allowing these goods to move freely into Britain from the EU from January 30, 2025.
This is not the first time Britain has kicked Brexit regulations down the road to make trade simpler. The deadline for the first phase was pushed out five times before it was finally implanted this year.
Brexit caused some initial teething problems earlier this year but fresh regulations could cause further headaches, but they have yet to put a dent in the level of goods going form Ireland to Britain.
Irish exports to Britain rose by 3% to €4.4bn during the first three months of the year compared to the same period in 2023, figures from the Central Statistics Office showed.
For some though, Brexit volatility has made the British market undesirable.
At one point the UK market was highly important for Sheridans Cheesemongers. However, co-owner of the business Kevin Sheridan told the Irish Examiner earlier this year that he is “ignoring the UK market because, along with the difficulties with Brexit, it's just not worth it.”
Expert in internation trade previously said the “plethora of seemingly ever-changing and over complicated trading regulations, ultimately make the UK a less attractive nation to trade with, particularly for smaller businesses in Ireland.”
- Reuters and the Irish Examiner