The NFU’s key principles for the UK’s Exit from the EU

The NFU has 7 key principles to ensure the UK’s exit from the EU is a success:

1. To keep markets open and functional.
2. To provide adequate financial and logistical support for industry.
3. To make sure adequate import tariffs are in place.
4. To ensure that all future trade negotiations and agreements are subject to parliamentary scrutiny. This will be supported by the significant NFU win of the Trade and Agriculture Commission being placed on a statuary footing, reporting on the impacts of future trade agreements on UK agriculture.
5. To establish robust and timely UK market monitoring, facilitating quick analysis of any market disruption across all sectors.
6. To ensure future UK immigration systems meets the needs of the agri-food sector. Click here for more information on this major concern for industry.
7. To ensure the UK government seek new market opportunities for British produce in future trade deals.

What are the NFU’s specific proposals on Horticultural EU-UK trade?

The NFU team has worked closely with Defra to seek changes to the proposed new EU-UK border controls coming into effect from 1 January 2021. We have fed several proposals into the top of government and Cabinet to seek practical measures which will ensure UK biosecurity is maintained, but our businesses can still continue to function efficiently and practically:

• A fit for purpose Service Level Agreement from government, including accepting liability for the effects of any delays on plant quality or yield – The NFU has called for a formal Service Level Agreement with a clear timeframe in which inspections must take place. We therefore welcome Defra’s response that such a Service Level Agreement will be implemented with a commitment to carry out physical inspections within 4 hours of a business stating the consignment will be available for inspection. It is vital, however that, should this timescale be missed, the consignment is either released, or the government will take financial liability for the impact to plant quality and productivity. The NFU is also calling for the government to publicly report on its performance in meeting this Service Level Agreement and work with industry to quickly identify any problems and find solutions.
• Significantly reduced inspections on new checks imposed and a ‘smart’ risk-based approach – With such a short space of time for industry to prepare for change, the NFU is calling for a significantly reduced frequency of checks for the first 6 months of 2021, as part of the government’s phased approach to controls. This includes a long term ‘smart’ risk-based approach to inspections, which factors in country of origin and acknowledges that risks from EU plants will not change overnight. Further to this, we are calling for early consultation with industry on the government’s longer-term frequency of checks proposals.
• Further suspension of inspection fees – The NFU welcomes the government decision to defer inspection fees until 1 April 2021 in response to NFU members’ concerns over the potential impact to business. However, from April, fees will still add significant cost to business, particularly until the necessary capacity at border control points has been built to allow for single inspection sites. The NFU is calling for further steps to be taken to limit additional business costs, with further delays to the introduction of new fees.
• A smooth transition to new IT systems – As the IT systems used for import and export of plants and plant products will change in mid-February, the NFU is calling for the smooth transition from the current PEACH and eDomero systems to the new IPAFFS and “Apply for a Phytosanitary Certificate Service” systems in mid-February. This includes assurance that there will be no registration fees associated with the IT systems and either a 6-month transition period during which both systems can be used or automatic rollover from one system to the other.
• Extension of the Place of Destination (POD) system to a permanent option – The NFU has long called for the extension of the Place of Destination system into a permanent option for importing businesses. This will allow greater choice for businesses, ensure plants and plant products can be checked at sites where they can be properly maintained, reduce product handling, and decrease pressure at Border Control Points. It is therefore positive that Defra has announced it is looking at extending this option beyond 1 July 2021 for businesses that can meet the increased requirements and necessary throughput.
• Equivalency – The NFU is calling for the government to prioritise all efforts to secure equivalency agreements where necessary, to continue to allow GB businesses to export otherwise prohibited products to the EU and Northern Irish markets. This includes certified seed, seed and ware potatoes, tomato plants, apple, peach, plum and cherry trees, and certain growing media mixes.
• Clear and consistent communication – Accurate and clear guidance from government to support business preparation is vital. Advice must be consistent across all government publications and between Defra, APHA and the local plant health inspector team. We must guard against over zealous interpretation of new rules by officials.

The NFU has long called for free and frictionless trade between the EU and UK. The changes that will come into force on 1 January 2021 will add significant friction to the supply chain, and so all steps must be taken to ensure the continued smooth operation of trade and therefore our domestic businesses. Should the issues raised here fail to be resolved urgently, then we do believe the government will need to take further, more significant steps to ensure the security of our domestic horticultural sector. It is also imperative that all efforts are made to reach a Free Trade Agreement between the UK and the EU, maintaining trade without the added pressure of tariffs.

You'll find  more information on changes to EU-UK plant and plant product movements from the 1 January 2021 here.

More from NFUonline:

• NFU submits evidence to Low Pay Commission
• Change to November lockdown restrictions on Christmas tree sales
• 'Place of destination' checks on EU imports of plants and plant products from 1 January 2021
• Brexit: Important information British plant growers need to know now if they import from the EU
• Changes to UK-EU trade in plants and plant products from 1 January 2021
• Exporting plant reproductive material and prohibited plants to the EU - what you need to know