Tighter rules may affect EU food imports

Imports of food to the UK from the EU have not been affected by Brexit. This is largely because, for administrative reasons, the UK Government opted not to fully implement rules in the year after Brexit was completed in January 2021.

However tighter regulations are now in place, meaning those exporting from the EU into the UK now have to comply with customs rules. This will test whether what has been a one-way street of UK exporters facing challenges while EU trade has been unaffected will continue.

The regulations will be further tightened in July, when full certification will be demanded and physical checks imposed. Checks on dairy products will be delayed until September.

However, because of political sensitivities and the Northern Ireland protocol – which keeps it in the EU single market – imports from the Republic of Ireland are excluded. They will remain subject to the same rules that applied in 2021.

Staff shortages and Covid have been blamed for the UK’S year-long inability to implement the Brexit rules it pressed for when it opted in negotiations with the EU to prioritise sovereignty over market access.

EU agriculture and food trade has continued to boom, as confirmed by the latest figures that have been published by the European Commission.

These cover January to September and, at £200 billion, trade was up by more than 6%.

The pattern of increasing exports and static or falling imports opening up a bigger positive balance of trade gap continued.

Exports rose by 8%, while imports rose by just 3.5%. This left a balance of trade gap of £42 billion – which was up by 17% year-on-year.

The biggest increase in exports was to the United States, which was driven by wines and spirits.

For the first time, exports to the UK topped the level for the corresponding period in 2020, before Brexit rules came into force.

By contrast, imports from the UK to Europe continued to fall, and were down by 27%.

Big falls in exports to the rest of the world included infant formula and wheat.

UNCERTAINTY: EU exports to the UK have been unaffected but that may change.