Upcoming post-Brexit border control speculated to be delayed again

Post-Brexit border controls on animal and plant products coming from the EU, due to start in October, are likely to be further delayed, a report stated today (3).

The speculation of further delay comes amid fears that extra checks will further fuel inflation.

“The driving force behind this is the need to bear down on inflation, that’s why there will be a delay,” stated Financial Times citing a government insider. “There will be additional costs at the border.”

A new timetable has not yet been signed off by ministers, but the start of the new regime is expected to slip into next year. The report further adds that the delay is being considered as businesses had to be given sufficient time to adapt to the new rules.

“The effort that business has made won’t be put to waste,” said one government official. “This will happen, but there will be a delay.” The report added that ministers are carefully considering feedback from “stakeholders” to ensure they have enough time to prepare, but added, “the Border Target Operating Model will be published shortly.”

There have been repeated delays to the introduction of a post-Brexit border control regime for goods entering the UK from the EU. British exports to the EU are already subject to full checks. It was announced as recently as April that a new “border target operating model” would start to be rolled out from October 31 with a full regime in place by October 2024.

British exports to the EU are already subject to full checks. Ministers announced as recently as April that a new “border target operating model” would start to be rolled out from October 31 with a full regime in place by October 2024.

The food industry has earlier warned that plans to charge a flat-rate inspection fee of up to £43 on each consignment of food coming from the EU would drive up food prices, with the government estimating total additional costs of EU controls at £420 million a year. An earlier survey of Cold Chain Federation members found that 40 per cent of their EU-based clients and suppliers were unaware of the incoming requirements.