London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Brexit: Checks on goods imported from the EU delayed again

Brexit: Checks on goods imported from the EU delayed again

The UK is to delay introducing post-Brexit checks on food and farming imports to England, Scotland and Wales, blaming Covid disruption and pressure on global supply chains.

Measures which were expected to come in next month will now be introduced in January and July next year.

Labour said the government did not have a "sustainable answer to tackling delays and red tape at the border".

The move comes amid shortages of some products in shops and supermarkets.

Many large companies have blamed a lack of lorry drivers for the problems experienced, with M&S chairman Archie Norman, a former Conservative MP, predicting a "bumpy ride" for retailers in the run-up to Christmas.

The EU has implemented full checks on UK goods since the start of this year.

Checks on goods going the other way were also due to come into force in full after the post-Brexit transition ended in January.

But they were delayed and, in March, the government announced a timetable to get changes for the food and agriculture sectors done by 1 October.

Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt has told MPs another postponement is now needed.

"The government's own preparations, in terms of systems, infrastructure and resourcing, remain on track to meet that timetable," she said, in a written Commons statement.

"However, the pandemic has had longer-lasting impacts on businesses, both in the UK and in the European Union, than many observers expected in March.

"There are also pressures on global supply chains, caused by a wide range of factors including the pandemic and the increased costs of global freight transport."

Ms Mordaunt announced that the requirement to pre-notify British officials about agricultural and food imports from the EU would now start on 1 January next year, rather than on 1 October this year.

The requirement for EU firms to get export health certificates before sending live animals and animal products to Britain would be put back to 1 July, she said.

'Rug pulled'


For Labour, shadow Cabinet Office minister Baroness Chapman said: "This announcement shows what we have all known for months - that the government do not have a workable, sustainable answer to tackling delays and red tape at the border...

"We cannot have another year of stop-gap solutions, meaningless deadlines, and threats of even greater disruption and economic damage."

The British Chambers of Commerce called the latest delays "sensible given the ongoing issues with ensuring trader readiness, the need to build more border control posts and the skills shortages crisis".

But the Food and Drink Federation criticised the government for "the lateness" of its announcement.

"Businesses have invested very significant time and money in preparing for the new import regime on 1 October 2021. Now, with just 17 days to go, the rug has been pulled," said chief executive Ian Wright.

"We welcome the government's acknowledgement that supply chains are under extreme pressure but this is to a large extent caused by labour and skills shortages in every part of the food chain," he added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×