(Shutterstock)New animal import rules and rules regarding the trade of plant, seed and timber come into force next week. These new SRSF regulations should continue to apply even if the UK leaves the EU without a deal says Defra. Anna Tobin reports
The UK will begin implementing new EU Smarter Rules for Safer Food (SRSF) biosecurity regulations from 11pm on Friday 13 December 2019, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced. The SRSF rules are designed to modernise protections against animal diseases and plant pests and improve food safety.
All affected businesses should have already received direct communications from Defra detailing what action they need to take to ensure that they can continue to trade these products with the EU.
Changes include:
- Animal import and animal byproduct import businesses will need to use an improved IT system TRACES (NT) to log imports from beyond the EU and new look import forms.
- Plant, seed and timber businesses will see an increase in the number of plant passports required and will have to deal with changes to the content and format of plant passport application forms.
Brexit and SRSF
Defra states that these new regulations will apply to the UK in all Brexit scenarios. Should the UK leave the EU without a deal, the regulations will be retained by the Withdrawal Act and will continue to apply subject to any amendments Parliament may agree.
Sign up now to download your No Deal Brexit Action PlanSign up to Ready for Brexit membership now and download your planning guide for a No Deal Brexit on 31 October 2019
Subscribe to
BREXIT BUSINESS
ACTION PLAN
Brexit business action spreadsheet
The Brexit Action Plan maps out the time available and the time required to undertake the processes to prepare your business for Brexit.
Brexit business checklists
Your business will need to modify or completely change procedures to prepare for Brexit. Brexlists help you take a rigorous and structured approach to your preparations:
- The Executive Summary Brexlist Brexit checklist, as its name implies, highlights the key issues
- The Business Functions Brexlist Brexit checklist maps onto the key business functions in a company
- The Directory Brexlist Brexit checklist maps onto the topic headings in our Brexit Directory
Brexit supply chain audit tool
Highlight what needs to be done, and by when, to ensure that all parts of your supply chain are prepared for Brexit:
- Identify the key questions for your business
- Share key learnings with your business partners
- Identify the key challenges and opportunities
- Highlight key internal and external priorities
BREXIT
DIRECTORY
Brexit business information, guidance and links
The Brexit Directory is an extensive database of information and links organised by business function to help you find the information your business needs to know.