Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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174. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his assessment of the likely impact of new United Kingdom import controls; the action by his Department in relation to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3352/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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On 31 January, the UK is introducing new import controls on goods from the EU, including Ireland.

There are three significant changes which Irish exporters to GB and their supply chain partners must meet from this date:

1. Full UK customs import declarations must be lodged on the UK customs systems in advance of all goods entering GB.
2. All animal products and all high and medium risk plant products imported to GB must be pre-notified on UK food and feed import system, by the GB importer of the goods or their GB based agent.
3. For animal and plant products which have been categorised as high or medium risk by the UK, they will require export health certification.

These preparations have included:

• Extensive information/communications plan including information webinars, engagement with stakeholder groups, circulation of information and guidance to over 1,000 businesses involved in the agri-food sector supply chain, a whole of government media awareness campaign.
• Comprehensive training programmes for food businesses on export health certification processes and the EU TRACES IT system;
• Detailed resource planning to support certification including recruitment and deployment of appropriate veterinary and technical certifying resources;
• Direct and intensive engagement between local competent authority supervisory teams with individual Food businesses to agree processes to meet UK requirements.
• Engagement with UK authorities to bring clarity to UK requirements and how they will be implemented.

My department and the Government will continue to carefully monitor the impact of the new requirements, and will continue to support businesses in meeting the new UK import requirements including the additional UK border entry controls which will be phased by UK authorities later in 2024.