On Tuesday, the 29th of August, the British government announced that it will postpone full import controls on goods from the European Union for another three months, pushing back the start date to January 2024, reports Reuters.
After departing the EU single market in January 2021, the UK opted to delay the full enforcement of border controls, concerned about potential port disruptions, and rising living costs.
In contrast, the EU swiftly initiated checks and documentation procedures for UK goods, causing disruptions, increased expenses, and competitiveness challenges.
Initially planning to require health certifications for specific animal products, plants, food and feed from Europe by October the 31st, the UK government, following consultations with industry experts, has
officially chosen to extend the implementation of remaining sanitary and phytosanitary checks by three months.
This also applies to comprehensive customs controls for non-compliant goods from Northern Ireland.
Additional measures, such as physical checks and security declarations, will gradually come into effect by 2024.
The new Border Target Operating Model, published by the government, aims to optimize data and technology usage, minimize duplication, and decrease the data and paperwork load for businesses during the import process.
The revised approach is expected to result in annual savings of approximately 520 million sterling pounds (604 million euros) for businesses, in contrast to the previous import structure made for 2022.
Furthermore, a Single Trade Window system is in the making to simplify import and export procedures, enabling traders to submit information just once.
William Bain, who serves as the Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, remarked that this enhanced clarity will greatly assist businesses, recognizing the preparedness it offers as they transition to the digital trade system.
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