Plans for border checks on food imports from October have been welcomed, but Government must ensure there are no further delays.
The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, has published plans to strengthen the borders against biosecurity threats and illegal imports.
A six-week engagement period will now take place, with the final Target Operating Model (TOM) to be published later this year.
The Government said it was its ‘firm intention’ to proceed with the first milestone on October 31, and urged businesses to work with their supply chains to prepare for this change, with further checks to be introduced in January and October 2024.
UK exporters have faced checks on exports to the European Union since January 2021, but the Government has repeatedly delayed implementing equivalent checks on imports. This has raised huge concerns for the UK pig sector in particular, given the presence of African swine fever (ASF) across much of Europe.
The TOM also outlines that new checks and controls will be introduced for Irish goods moving directly from Ireland to Great Britain. Northern Ireland businesses will retain unfettered access to Great Britain, whether moving goods directly or indirectly through Irish ports.
National Pig Association (NPA) chief executive Lizzie Wilson said it was ‘long overdue but very welcome’.
She said: "After so many delays, the Government must now ensure the timetable does not slip any further."
The failure to implement proper checks had been unacceptable and had exposed the UK to greater risk of an ASF outbreak, she added.
"The NPA has been pressing the Government to put this right and we are pleased that they have finally listened. We now look forward to seeing a new regime that is fit-for-purpose introduced without delay."
Malcolm Morley, British Veterinary Association (BVA) President, said that while BVA needed to scrutinise the detail, it was positive to see an acknowledgement of the role border controls play in protecting public health and UK biosecurity, 'rather than seeing controls as simply a barrier to trade that needs to be overcome'.
He added that having robust systems in place would minimise the UK's exposure to diseases like foot and mouth or ASF, and urged Government to continue engaging with the veterinary profession to confirm the model was 'fit for purpose'.
