# Britain delays full post-Brexit import checks until late 2023
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-04-28
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: UK delays full post-Brexit import controls until end-2023
Meta Description: Discover why Britain has postponed its post-Brexit import controls on EU goods until the end of next year to avoid adding to rising inflation pressures.
URL: https://financedigest.com/britain-delays-full-post-brexit-import-checks-until-late-2023html

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By Muvija M and William Schomberg

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain has delayed imposing its full post-Brexit import controls on goods from the European Union again, pushing it back until the end of next year, saying it did not want to add more fuel to fast-rising inflation.

Britain left the EU’s single market in January 2021 and has delayed full implementation of border controls on several occasions due to worries about port disruption and COVID-19, and now the risk of adding to a cost-of-living crisis.

The government said on Thursday that [Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the leap in global energy costs were hitting supply](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-kazakh-mcdonalds-shut-outlets-temporarily-after-halting-supplies-from-russia-sources.html "Exclusive-Kazakh McDonald’s shut outlets temporarily after halting supplies from Russia – sources") chains still recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s vital that we have the right import controls regime in place, so we’ll now be working with industry to review these remaining controls so that they best suit the UK’s own interests,” said Jacob Rees-Mogg, [Britain’s minister for Brexit](https://www.financedigest.com/explainer-how-britain-is-exploiting-brexit-to-reform-finance.html "Explainer-How Britain is exploiting Brexit to reform finance?") opportunities.

[British port](https://www.financedigest.com/british-port-workers-plan-two-week-strike-from-sept-19.html "British port workers plan two-week strike from Sept. 19") operators reacted angrily, saying they had already built border control posts.

This announcement is a major policy change, meaning the facilities will effectively become white elephants, wasting [millions of pounds](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-announces-205-million-pound-auction-for-renewable-power-projects.html "Britain announces 205 million pound auction for renewable power projects") of public and private funding, not to mention the huge effort there has been to get things ready,” British Ports Association Chief Executive Richard Ballantyne said.

He said port operators wanted to know if they could start to bulldozer the facilities and use the sites for other purposes.

The UK Major Ports Group said ports had [invested more than 100 million](https://www.financedigest.com/sse-to-invest-122-million-in-scottish-pumped-hydro-project.html "SSE to invest 2 million in Scottish pumped hydro project") pounds ($125 million) to meet the requirements.

Government needs to engage urgently with ports to [agree how the substantial investments made in good faith can be recovered,” the group’s chief](https://www.financedigest.com/g7-finance-chiefs-agree-on-russian-oil-price-cap-but-level-not-yet-set.html "G7 finance chiefs agree on Russian oil price cap but level not yet set") executive Tim Morris said.

British voters decided in 2016 to leave the EU.

[RISK ASSESSMENT](https://www.financedigest.com/assessing-cyber-security-risk-10-new-questions-underwritersshould-be-asking.html "Assessing Cyber Security Risk: 10 New Questions UnderwritersShould be Asking")

The government said it would review how best to implement its remaining checks through [risk assessments and using data](https://www.financedigest.com/how-data-visualisation-is-helping-the-insurance-sector-understand-environmental-risks.html "How data visualisation is helping the insurance sector understand environmental risks") and technology to smooth the process.

The new [plan will be published later](https://www.financedigest.com/are-the-over-55s-accessing-their-pensions-early-failing-to-plan-for-later-life.html "Are the over-55s accessing their pensions early failing to plan for later life?") this year before coming into force at the end of 2023.

Controls no longer being introduced for EU goods from July included sanitary and phytosanitary [checks at the border](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-plans-streamlined-post-brexit-border-checks.html "UK plans streamlined post-Brexit border checks") and requirements for safety and security declarations on imports, as well as restrictions on chilled meats imports.

British importers would be spared at least 1 billion [pounds a year in annual costs](https://www.financedigest.com/commonenergy-mistakes-costing-homeowners-hundreds-of-pounds-each-year.html "Commonenergy mistakes costing homeowners hundreds of pounds each year"), the government said.

[Controls introduced last year on the highest risk imports](https://www.financedigest.com/indonesia-to-tighten-used-shoe-import-controls-after-reuters-report.html "Indonesia to tighten used shoe import controls after Reuters report") of animals, animal products, plants and plant products will continue to apply.

Opposition Labour lawmaker Hilary Benn, co-chair of the UK Trade and Business Commission, said the move was an admission that custom controls would drive up [costs while British exporters faced additional costs and delays](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-delays-major-rail-project-hs2-as-costs-soar-again.html "Britain delays major rail project HS2 as costs soar again").

It is extraordinary that [imports into the UK are being favoured over UK exports to the EU and this just highlights the barriers to trade that have been put in place by their threadbare Brexit deal,”](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-seeks-deal-on-law-preventing-import-of-deforestation-linked-goods.html "EU seeks deal on law preventing import of deforestation-linked goods") Benn said.

The EU introduced its rules for [imports of British](https://www.financedigest.com/indias-carmakers-back-zero-duty-on-limited-british-imports-under-trade-deal-sources.html "India’s carmakers back zero duty on limited British imports under trade deal – sources") goods immediately at the start of last year.

British inflation hit a 30-year high of 7.0% in March and is set to climb higher in the coming months, leaving households facing the [biggest loss of income since](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-retreats-headed-for-biggest-weekly-loss-since-mid-january-bitcoin-down.html "Dollar retreats, headed for biggest weekly loss since mid-January; bitcoin down") at least the 1950s, according to the government’s budget forecasters.

Also on Thursday, supermarket group Sainsbury’s warned its [profits would fall due to higher](https://www.financedigest.com/polish-e-commerce-firm-allegro-eyes-higher-q1-profit.html "Polish e-commerce firm Allegro eyes higher Q1 profit") costs and lower spending by customers, echoing market leader Tesco.

Researchers led by the London School of Economics said on Wednesday that Brexit trade barriers had added 6% to the [cost of food](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-east-europeans-count-their-pennies-for-christmas-as-food-costs-soar.html "Analysis-East Europeans count their pennies for Christmas as food costs soar") in Britain.

Media reports have said the government might lower or scrap import duties on some food as another way to [ease inflation](https://www.financedigest.com/inflation-in-key-german-states-eases-for-second-month.html "Inflation in key German states eases for second month").

Separately on Thursday, Britain’s [Europe minister said the country](https://www.financedigest.com/best-countries-in-europe-to-live-in.html "Best countries in Europe to live in") and the EU were at an impasse over changes to parts of the Brexit deal governing trade with Northern Ireland.

($1 = 0.8037 pounds)

(Editing by Toby Chopra)


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