The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) issued an Information Notice to trade on the 20th April 2023, in relation to technical requirements for Irish companies trading with Great Britain in an evolving third country regulatory environment. The UK Government has published a Draft Border Target Operating Model (Draft BTOM) outlining their vision for the implementation of border controls over the coming months and years following on from the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union.
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) controls are a central element in the framework set out in this draft which can be read in full on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-border-target-operating-model-draft-for-feedback. UK border control authorities plan to implement SPS controls based on their classification of products and exporting countries as being either low, medium, or high-risk. This risk-rating will determine the necessity for official controls including Export Health Certificates, pre-notification of consignments and frequency of physical checks at the border among other SPS control procedures. This will be done across several milestone dates.
The UK Authorities are proposing the introduction of the requirement for Export Health Certificates and pre-notification for Medium-Risk Animal Products imported from the EU, which are likely to include Irish Fishery Products travelling directly from Ireland to Great Britain, from the 31st of October 2023. As controls in relation to imports from Ireland are being harmonised with the UK’s approach to imports from the rest of the EU, Export Health Certificates, and pre-notification of exports from Ireland of Live Aquatic Animals travelling directly from Ireland to Great Britain, will also be implemented from 31st of October 2023.
In relation to Transit, high and medium-risk consignments using the Great Britain land bridge will need to be accompanied by a simplified transit certificate from 31st of October 2023 as well as completing pre-notification procedures. Low-risk consignments will only require pre-notification. Based on current available information, the SFPA advise that all Irish stakeholders proceed on the basis that pre-notification and export health certificates will be required for all consignments of Live Aquatic Animals and Fishery Products travelling directly from Ireland to Great Britain from the 31st of October 2023.
Queries regarding this information notice may be addressed to SFPATradeandAudit@sfpa.ie
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