Logistics UK urges industry to make good use of extra time on import checks

New checks (known as sanitary and phytosanitary checks) on products of animal origin, as well as full customs declarations at the point of importation  for goods coming from the EU are to be postponed by six to nine months, as announced by Michael Gove MP in parliament last week (11 March 2021). 

Logistics UK argues this delay will ease the administrative burden on logistics organisations currently working to supply the UK through COVID-19 lockdowns. 

“Alleviating pressures on the supply chain caused by the current pandemic remains the priority for our sector,” said Sarah Laouadi, European Policy Manager. “This announcement acknowledges the challenges and mounting compliance pressure created by multiple COVID-19 lockdowns and regulations across different European nations. By moving the deadline for the introduction of extra import formalities on goods coming to the UK, the government is providing more time for businesses and authorities to adapt to the upcoming extra requirements, for example by training staff, designing robust business processes to interact with new IT systems and agreeing a new allocation of roles and responsibilities with their supply chain partners. This will protect the UK’s highly interconnected supply chain to keep the nation supplied with the goods and services it needs.

“It is imperative that governments and industry now work hand in hand to make the best possible use of this extra time, to raise the level of readiness for checks both in the UK and in the EU. In particular, Logistics UK is pushing the UK government for a much bigger focus on end-to-end provision of guidance to ease the import process and enhanced engagement with traders, but also hauliers, on both sides of the UK’s border.”

Initially, the UK Government intended to phase in new sanitary and phytosanitary import formalities for a large number of products of animal origin on 1 April. Full customs declarations for all imports without any deferment option were to be required from 1 July, as would physical checks at border control posts on so-called agrifood products. 

Laouadi concludes: “This announcement will mean that businesses have an extra six to nine months – depending on products – to prepare for these two deadlines while fast-moving COVID-19-related rules hopefully stabilise and are phased out.”

*www.logistics.org.uk/brexit

Published On: 18/03/2021 17:00:55

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