How the UK's delayed Brexit checks on fresh food from EU could affect you
The UK's planned Brexit-related checks around bringing fresh food into the UK from the EU have been delayed again. Here's what they mean for those wanting to bring produce into Britain.
Since the end of the Brexit transition period, travellers who want to bring British food products into the EU have faced strict controls and outright bans on certain substances, from a ham sandwich for the journey to bringing in a little gift of chocolate or your mum's home baking.
READ ALSO Bovril, tea and ham sandwiches - what are the rules on taking food from the UK into the EU?
But taking produce into the UK has been unaffected.
This was originally set to change in 2022, but has since been delayed several times. The latest indication was that checks were finally to begin from October 31st, 2023.
However reports in the UK media in early August suggest the British government has decided to delay bringing in the checks once again over concerns the extra red tape could fuel further inflation.
The Financial Times reported that an official announcement on the further delay was imminent.
Industry representatives in the UK welcomed the new delay.
“The government has made the right decision to postpone. UK food retailers, hospitality businesses and consumers were in line for major disruption because many EU food-producing businesses supplying into the UK are not ready for the new requirements,” said Shane Brennan, the chief executive of the Cold Chain Federation.
What's the point of the checks?
As with food checks on entry to the EU, the main thrust is food businesses and people importing products for commercial reasons - but they can also affect individual travellers, whether that is holidaymakers taking home a box of Italian chocolates or French residents bringing some cheese for friends and family in the UK.
Since January 1st 2022 full customs declarations and customs controls has been imposed at the UK border - but this affects only business imports, not private individuals such as returning holidaymakers.
It is not clear when the new set of rules will come into force.
The new rules as written refer to all imports - not only those for commercial purposes - so would cover holidaymakers taking home a little German sausage or French smelly cheese as a souvenir, or Brits living in the EU bringing gifts of jamon iberico or Austrian cakes to friends and family in the UK.
The situation with alcohol is a little different, see below.
Under the old system
If you're travelling from the EU to the UK before the new rules come into force there is no limit on bringing in food products as long as they are for your personal use or as gifts, and you are not intending to sell them.
Under the UK's new Brexit checks (when they are finally brought in)
Once the new rules are in place, food products entering the UK can be subject to checks. The UK government says that it is phasing in checks in a two-stage approach, and initial checks will be 'targeted' - meaning that not everyone entering the UK will be checked.
It's likely that checks on individuals such as families arriving by car at Dover or people getting off the Eurostar in London will be operated on a very light-touch basis.
However, the phyto-sanitary rules potentially affect animal products - so that would include meat, fish, eggs and dairy or any food products that contain any of those ingredients such as chocolate, cheese or jelly sweets.
Anyone who wants to import these products to the UK on a commercial basis will need a veterinary certificate. Since these are impractical for individual travellers, it amounts to a de facto ban on bringing these products into the UK.
The first phase of the checks is the requirement to have animal health certificates for imports.
The second phase
Once the first phase is rolled out a second phase of checks starts, which involves "documentary and risk-based identity and physical checks on medium-risk animal and plant products and high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin from the EU".
This concerns the same type of products as above, but will involve physical checks of the items, rather than just a check of the paperwork.
Third phase
The final phase of paperwork, safety and security declarations for EU imports will come into force once the second phase has been complete but as explained earlier the date is not yet known.
Wine, beer and spirits
Wine, beer and spirits are not affected by the latest announcement, but have since January 2021 been subject to new limits.
Bringing to an end the cherished tradition of the booze cruise, there are now strict limits on the amount of wine, beer, spirits and tobacco that can be brought into the UK from the EU.
The amounts still allow for bringing a few gifts into the UK, but gone are the days of taking the car over to Calais and loading up the boot in one of the many French wine warehouses.
You can find full details on allowances HERE.
How strict will these checks be?
It's difficult to tell whether the regime of checks will be as strict as for people entering the EU from the UK, but the indications are that they probably won't, especially for holidaymakers.
Mindful of long queues already seen at the border since Brexit, the latest announcement from UK authorities mentions several protocols designed to keep traffic moving - such as building special centres for checks for commercial verification away from the main port areas.
This suggests that checks for individuals will be light-touch, but they cannot be ruled out. If you are found to be in possession of foodstuffs without the correct paperwork, the items will be confiscated.
The introduction of these checks has already been delayed several times, so it's possible that they could be delayed again.
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Since the end of the Brexit transition period, travellers who want to bring British food products into the EU have faced strict controls and outright bans on certain substances, from a ham sandwich for the journey to bringing in a little gift of chocolate or your mum's home baking.
READ ALSO Bovril, tea and ham sandwiches - what are the rules on taking food from the UK into the EU?
But taking produce into the UK has been unaffected.
This was originally set to change in 2022, but has since been delayed several times. The latest indication was that checks were finally to begin from October 31st, 2023.
However reports in the UK media in early August suggest the British government has decided to delay bringing in the checks once again over concerns the extra red tape could fuel further inflation.
The Financial Times reported that an official announcement on the further delay was imminent.
Industry representatives in the UK welcomed the new delay.
“The government has made the right decision to postpone. UK food retailers, hospitality businesses and consumers were in line for major disruption because many EU food-producing businesses supplying into the UK are not ready for the new requirements,” said Shane Brennan, the chief executive of the Cold Chain Federation.
What's the point of the checks?
As with food checks on entry to the EU, the main thrust is food businesses and people importing products for commercial reasons - but they can also affect individual travellers, whether that is holidaymakers taking home a box of Italian chocolates or French residents bringing some cheese for friends and family in the UK.
Since January 1st 2022 full customs declarations and customs controls has been imposed at the UK border - but this affects only business imports, not private individuals such as returning holidaymakers.
It is not clear when the new set of rules will come into force.
The new rules as written refer to all imports - not only those for commercial purposes - so would cover holidaymakers taking home a little German sausage or French smelly cheese as a souvenir, or Brits living in the EU bringing gifts of jamon iberico or Austrian cakes to friends and family in the UK.
The situation with alcohol is a little different, see below.
Under the old system
If you're travelling from the EU to the UK before the new rules come into force there is no limit on bringing in food products as long as they are for your personal use or as gifts, and you are not intending to sell them.
Under the UK's new Brexit checks (when they are finally brought in)
Once the new rules are in place, food products entering the UK can be subject to checks. The UK government says that it is phasing in checks in a two-stage approach, and initial checks will be 'targeted' - meaning that not everyone entering the UK will be checked.
It's likely that checks on individuals such as families arriving by car at Dover or people getting off the Eurostar in London will be operated on a very light-touch basis.
However, the phyto-sanitary rules potentially affect animal products - so that would include meat, fish, eggs and dairy or any food products that contain any of those ingredients such as chocolate, cheese or jelly sweets.
Anyone who wants to import these products to the UK on a commercial basis will need a veterinary certificate. Since these are impractical for individual travellers, it amounts to a de facto ban on bringing these products into the UK.
The first phase of the checks is the requirement to have animal health certificates for imports.
The second phase
Once the first phase is rolled out a second phase of checks starts, which involves "documentary and risk-based identity and physical checks on medium-risk animal and plant products and high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin from the EU".
This concerns the same type of products as above, but will involve physical checks of the items, rather than just a check of the paperwork.
Third phase
The final phase of paperwork, safety and security declarations for EU imports will come into force once the second phase has been complete but as explained earlier the date is not yet known.
Wine, beer and spirits
Wine, beer and spirits are not affected by the latest announcement, but have since January 2021 been subject to new limits.
Bringing to an end the cherished tradition of the booze cruise, there are now strict limits on the amount of wine, beer, spirits and tobacco that can be brought into the UK from the EU.
The amounts still allow for bringing a few gifts into the UK, but gone are the days of taking the car over to Calais and loading up the boot in one of the many French wine warehouses.
You can find full details on allowances HERE.
How strict will these checks be?
It's difficult to tell whether the regime of checks will be as strict as for people entering the EU from the UK, but the indications are that they probably won't, especially for holidaymakers.
Mindful of long queues already seen at the border since Brexit, the latest announcement from UK authorities mentions several protocols designed to keep traffic moving - such as building special centres for checks for commercial verification away from the main port areas.
This suggests that checks for individuals will be light-touch, but they cannot be ruled out. If you are found to be in possession of foodstuffs without the correct paperwork, the items will be confiscated.
The introduction of these checks has already been delayed several times, so it's possible that they could be delayed again.
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