The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) recently issued an Information Notice on the UK’s New Import Control Requirements to trade in relation to technical requirements for Irish companies trading with Great Britain. The UK Authorities are implementing new import control requirements from the 30th of April 2024. The most pertinent of these changes for Irish Food Business Operators is the new Common User Charge for UK importers which is being implemented for imports entering Great Britain and transits entering and leaving Great Britain.
More information on the Common User Charge can be found on the relevant gov.uk page at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/common-user-charge-rates-and-eligibility. This provides detailed clarity on the Common User Charge amounts and their applicability. There are many product and supply-chain dependent nuances to be considered.
The SFPA recommend that all Food Business Operators engage with their individual supply chains to determine if there is any transit-related applicability to their current trade flows if transiting seafood through Port of Dover/ Eurotunnel enroute to EU.
Common User Charges are linked with commodity code designations detailed in the Common Health Entry Document (CHEDs) that are pre-notified through Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS). While the Common User Charges currently apply to trade through the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel, these are in time expected to apply equally to Welsh Border Control Posts which handle imports to UK from Ireland when these become operational later in 2024.
The Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine are hosting an information webinar on this subject on Thursday 18th April 2024 from 10.00-11.00 titled “Update on the UK’s New SPS Import Requirements.”
The webinar will cover the changes to the UK’s import controls since 31st January, around certification, and will address the additional changes coming into effect from 30th April.
The SFPA would encourage Food Business Operators to participate in the event.
Please register for this webinar here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8815071031231867736
Queries regarding this information notice may be addressed to SFPATradeandAudit@sfpa.ie
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Notes for Editors
Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS)
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-of-products-animals-food-and-feed-system
Common Health Entry Document (CHEDs)
Common Health Entry Document (CHEDs) is way of pre-notifying the arrival of import and export consignments.