On the 28th of April 2022, the Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency announced that the new controls for EU-UK movements, which were previously due to take effect on the 1st of July 2022, have been delayed until further notice.
In his initial statement, Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg said:
"The remaining import controls on EU goods will no longer be introduced this year - saving British businesses up to £1 billion in annual costs… Instead the Government is accelerating our transformative programme to digitise Britain’s borders, harnessing new technologies and data to reduce friction and costs for businesses and consumers. This is a new approach for a new era, as Britain maximises the benefits of leaving the EU and puts in place the right policies for our trade with the whole world."
This comes as the Government announced that there will be no further import controls introduced this year on EU goods.
While all existing controls will remain in place, the following have been delayed until the end of 2023:
- A requirement for further Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks on EU imports currently at destination to be moved to Border Control Post (BCP).
- A requirement for safety and security declarations on EU imports.
- A requirement for further health certification and SPS checks for EU imports.
- Prohibitions and restrictions on the import of chilled meats from the EU.
Why has the government delayed the upcoming controls?
As living and energy costs rise due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Government is looking for ways to reduce the pressures on businesses to increase prices.
According to the cabinet office:
"The Government has concluded that it would be wrong to impose new administrative requirements on businesses who may pass-on the associated costs to consumers."
As a result, the government has chosen to delay these additional controls until next year at the earliest, and will be publishing a Target Operating Model this autumn in order to establish their new plan for border import controls in 2023.
What does this mean for businesses?
Businesses will no longer need to prepare for the new import controls for July.
And according to the Government, these changes will also save businesses an expected £1 billion this year.
How are we preparing to help our customers?
For many businesses, the process of sorting your customs declarations can be a hair-pulling task. Especially when your journeys are time-sensitive.
When you choose Freightlink Reload as your freight-forwarder, we will also arrange your customs documentation and liaise with overseas customs agents for you.
At Freightlink Reload, we’re here to take the stress out of transporting your goods. When you book with us, you get a dedicated personal account manager to make the process as simple as possible - saving you time & money.
We are using this extended period of time before the import controls take effect to learn and strengthen our services, so when they are implemented in 2023, we will be ready to support you with these changes.
To see how we can help your business, get in touch with one of our freight-forwarding experts today.