Polish carriers involved in transport to the UK are facing further changes. This time, the new regulations concern chilled minced meat and meat preparations. From January 31, 2024, the UK will require certificates, the so-called Export Health Certificate (EHC). – The UK is also planning physical checks on food imported into the country, which will involve additional time that will have to be spent at the border – says Joanna Porath, owner of the customs agency AC Porath.
The UK has already postponed the certification of food imported from the EU several times. Now, however, specific dates have been set: from January 31, 2024, the import of certain chilled minced meat and chilled meat products from the EU, other EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway), as well as the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Switzerland to the UK may continue, provided that specific requirements are met. This concerns holding appropriate certificates, the so-called Export Health Certificate (EHC).
Additional costs
– Certification is the first step; the next is to be physical checks of food imported into the UK, which involves additional time that will have to be spent at the border. DEFRA, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has announced a series of training sessions to prepare traders for certification and border controls. Transport companies must also count on additional costs to meet the new regulations and requirements – says Joanna Porath, owner of the customs agency AC Porath, which specializes, among other things, in serving the British market.
The changes awaiting carriers from January 31, 2024, will supplement the regulations already in force. Currently, a veterinary certificate is required for the import of products of animal origin covered by safety measures. The importer is also obliged to notify the transport of cargo in advance using the IPAFFS system and to provide the exporter with the number generated by this system.
– Notifications are required for, among others, live animals, products of animal origin, animal by-products, but also composite food products, plants, and plant products. It is a fact that Brexit has complicated the procedures for transporting goods, which is why all changes in British law that affect exporters and importers from the EU, including Poland, should be monitored on an ongoing basis – adds Joanna Porath.
Source: AC Porath