Irish exporters have welcomed the British government’s announcement under which post-Brexit checks, which would have involved significant additional requirements for food and drink exporters, are being delayed as talks on the Northern Ireland protocol continue between the EU and UK.
UK Brexit minister, David Frost, has issued a statement saying the checks due to come into force on January 1 would be postponed as an act of “good faith”.
“The government believes that this pragmatic act of goodwill can help to maintain space for continued negotiations on the protocol,” Lord Frost said. “It also ensures that traders in both Ireland and Northern Ireland are not faced with further uncertainty while the protocol arrangements themselves are still under discussion.”
The imposition of additional requirements on food and drink exporters to the UK are also to be delayed. Notice of exports of food, drink and products of animal origin were due to have been given in advance.
Carol Lynch, partner in BDO’s Customs and International Trade Service division, said this was good news for Irish exporters, who will not now need to lodge declarations in advance of departure of the goods from Ireland, while food exporters will not face immediate new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has welcomed the British government’s announcement, calling it “a sensible move which will be good news for Irish exporters and farmers, especially at this time of year”.
The UK left the EU trading bloc at the start of this year, but delayed the implementation of some checks, allowing importers of goods from the EU to delay making advance customs declarations and paying the relevant tariffs.
