The government must plan for every possible outcome when the UK leaves the EU, including a ‘no deal’ Brexit. Defra continue to produce guidelines to ensure that businesses are aware of the forthcoming changes and what actions they may need to take.
As a Defra stakeholder, we thought it would be advantageous share with you Defra’s seven key food, drink and agriculture related government communications that have been released:
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens working in the UK in 2019 and 2020
If you employ EU, EEA or Swiss citizens and want to understand how leaving the EU will affect your business and what you can to do to get ready, the attached document will signpost you to the most up-to-date information. Home Office guidance has been published this week on gov.uk here.
Twitter and LinkedIn animations for temporary tariffs policy in a no deal scenario
This week, Defra and DIT have released new animations highlighting this information on Twitter and LinkedIn. These are useful tools to share with members and supply chains.
HMRC LinkedIn Video - 10 steps for importing products after EU Exit
HMRC have advertised on LinkedIn this week a short video showing the ten steps businesses should follow for importing products after EU Exit.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6516215692423892992/
While a majority of the approximately 260 Defra-led International Agreements are likely to be in place for when the UK leaves the EU, there are a few international agreements identified to transition that will not be in place for exit day. Details of these international agreements are provided in the attached PDF document.
On Wednesday 3rd April, the Secretary of State for International Trade, Rt Hon Dr Liam announced the membership of the Strategic Trade Advisory Group through a Written Ministerial Statement and News Release. Please also note that Department for International Trade have published a press release highlighting that the UK has signed a trade continuity agreement with Norway and Iceland.
Transporting goods if the UK leaves the EU without a deal
Department for Transport have recently launched the following site:
https://extranet.dft.gov.uk/haulage-commercial-drivers-partners-pack/
Password: eu-haulage-1211
It provides information for hauliers to help them respond to:
- changes to border control requirements if we leave the EU without a deal; and
- new arrangements for managing traffic approaching Dover and Eurotunnel
It includes links to a haulier checklist and other resources that were released on gov.uk in March 2019. It also includes posters and leaflets that are available in several major European languages.
Checking if there are any travel delays or disruptions
Before you travel, you should check if delays are possible at the Port of Dover (@PoD_travelnews) and Eurotunnel (@LeShuttle) and check if Operation Brock is active. Check online for advice and look out for road signs telling you where to go.
Traffic delays will be shown on the Traffic England website: http://www.trafficengland.com/traffic-aler
Moving live animals
Before moving live animals on or around the date of the UKs exit from the EU transporters and hauliers should consider whether a heightened risk of travel delays and disruption could have any impacts to their journey and risks to animal welfare. They have a responsibility to take the appropriate steps to ensure the welfare of the animals in their care is not compromised and should consider contingency measures, such as premises to rest, feed and water animals on route. It is advisable that they carry extra feed, water and bedding should they encounter delays. If you have any concerns/questions about moving live animals please email: BFPEUExit@defra.gov.uk.
Haulage drivers transporting live animals must have the following documents from the importer or exporter. The EU will no longer accept UK-issued versions of these documents:
- transporter authorisation
- certificate of competence
- vehicle approval certificate
- journey log (where necessary)
Please continue to check gov.uk website, as the content is regularly updated.
Transitional Simplified Procedures (TSP)
Please find HMRC guidance from February 2019 here. Although this is not new guidance, it is advised that stakeholders are registered to use transitional simplified procedures. The link to register to use is here.
Some Defra commodities are classed as controlled goods and must use a different procedure to standard goods. More information is available on:
Food and Drink and Farming landing pages
We recommend that stakeholders continue to check for updated no deal guidance on our dedicated gov.uk landing page for the food and drink sector, which can be found here. There is also a farming sector landing page here. These pages have been created to ensure that EU Exit guidance is easy to find. The landing pages combine all relevant EU Exit guidance in the case of a no deal scenario for the Food and Drink and farming sector stakeholders and are updated regularly with new no deal communications as they become live
