Government publishes long-awaited Border Target Operating Model
The UK Government has finally published its long-awaited Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) after a delay of some weeks. The BTOM details the Governments proposals for a new approach to importing goods into Great Britain, and it will be introduced in stages from the end of January 2024.
Since January 2021 the plant trade has followed all the import and export requirements outlined in the Trade & Co-operation Agreement (TCA), and due to the absence of a Sanitary Phytosanitary (SPS) or plant health agreement with the EU has faced strict controls on imports since then, costing millions of pounds.
The Government promises that the BTOM will smooth trade and make importing easier with reduced requirements, however, it does not remove any of the requirements for importing plants, so pre-notification will still be required, as will Phytosanitary Certificates (PCs) plus plant health import inspections will still take place.
The main changes to the final BTOM from the draft TOM issued earlier this year in April are two short, 3-month delays to the October 2023 and January 2024 milestones requiring health certification requirements for more products and the introduction of Border Control Posts (BCPs) respectively.
31 January 2024, a further set of products (such as ‘medium-risk’ products like parts of plants with foliage, some cut flowers, some seeds, animal products and ‘high-risk’ food and feed not of animal origin) will now require health certification (e.g. Phytosanitary Certificate – PCs) and pre-notification.
31 January 2024 is when some fresh produce products will be re-categorised a ‘low-risk’ & will have their pre-notification, PC and physical check requirements removed.
30 April 2024 The Place of Destination (POD) scheme, where plants are inspected at the first place of arrival, will now end on the 30 April 2024. Plant health import inspections will then be conducted at BCPs (or Control Points -CP - if a business has been successfully designated as one).
30 April 2024 Identity and physical checks will also start on the 'medium-risk’ products like parts of plants with foliage, some cut flowers, some seeds, animal products and ‘high-risk’ food and feed not of animal origin.
31 October 2024 The requirement for Safety and Security declarations for imports into Great Britain from the EU or from other territories where the waiver applies will come into force from 31 October 2024
