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In August 2023, the United Kingdom (UK)
notified the WTO SPS Committee of the publication of the final version of the
Border Target Operating
Model (BTOM) [_G/SPS/N/GBR/30/Add.2] that set out the new
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) regime for Great Britain (GB). The measures
contained in the BTOM apply to imports of live animals, germinal products,
animal products, plants and plant products and high-risk food of non-animal
origin into Great Britain and set out the timeline for implementation from
January 2024 onwards.
As set out in the BTOM, the UK government will be implementing
legislation in two Statutory Instruments (SIs) to deliver the second stage of
the BTOM from 30 April 2024. Full details of the legislation can be found via
the following links: The Official Controls
(Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2024; and The Official Controls
(Extension of Transitional Periods) (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
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Documentary,
physical and identity checks are being introduced for medium and high-risk
animal products imported into Great Britain from the European Union (EU) and
European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) countries (excluding those goods being
imported from Ireland). The frequency
of identity and physical checks on animal products will be aligned with the
new global risk-categorisation model as outlined in the BTOM.
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For plants and
plant products, physical and identity checks of goods from the European Union, Switzerland and Liechtenstein move to
Border Control Posts (BCPs) and Control Points (CPs). Medium and high-risk
plants and plant products from the European Union
must come through a point of entry with the relevant BCP (list of relevant
BCPs are here). Inspections of high-risk
plants/plant products from the European Union will move from Points of
Destination (PoDs) to BCPs and CPs.
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The
simplification of some import requirements from non-EU countries will also
commence. This will
include the removal of routine checks on low-risk animal products, plants,
plant products from EU and non-EU countries; the reduction in physical and
identity check levels on medium-risk animal products from non-EU countries;
the removal of the default deep freezing condition for meat preparations from
legislation, enabling this to be managed by health certification from 30
April 2024: Import food and drink from
the EU to Great Britain - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The list of re-categorised plants and plant
products from third countries can be found here.[1]
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For a
three-month period from 30 April 2024, a temporary easement will enable the
full requirements of a documentary check to be satisfied when a scanned copy
of an original Export Health Certificate (EHC) or Phytosanitary certificate
(PC) is provided in an importer's prenotification. Where a scanned copy is
provided, the original EHC or PC should be provided to competent authorities
within five (EHC) or three (PC) business days of a consignment's arrival. The
temporary easement will only apply to EHCs for animal products and by
products from the European Union – and to PCs for plants and plant
products from the European Union, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Noting
the easement's time limited nature, importers should continue to adopt fully
digitised certification as soon as possible to reduce the requirement to
undergo in person documentary checks at the border, following the easement's
expiry.
[1] Part A of Annex 11 lists
high- and medium-risk plant goods posing a known threat, that require a
phytosanitary certificate and are subject to 100% checks on import (except
where reduced checks are applied). Part B of Annex 11 lists those medium-risk
goods that require a phytosanitary certificate, as they pose a potential
threat, but with insufficient evidence currently to categorise in Part A or
Part C
of Annex 11. Part C of Annex 11 includes a list of low-risk plant products
which are not subject to plant health controls, such as fruits of banana and
pineapple.
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