Marine department urges sectors to be Brexit ready

The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine is appealing to Ireland’s agri and seafood sectors to be ‘Brexit ready’ given they will be highly exposed to the impacts.

From 1 January 2021, changes for the Irish agri-food industry come into effect, with new customs and regulatory requirements (including SPS checks) for importers and exporters, as well as export certification and other requirements in the movement of goods to, from, and through Great Britain.

‘These changes will increase the cost of trade and could result in delays in the movement of goods, although every effort will be made to ensure the minimum possible disruption to trade flows,’ warns DAFM.

Northern Ireland

Changes will happen regardless of the outcome of the EU-UK future relationship negotiations but will not apply with respect to trade in goods between Ireland and Northern Ireland where the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland will apply from the end of the transition period, ‘regardless of the outcome of the negotiations between the EU and the UK’.

Under the Protocol, Northern Ireland will remain aligned to a limited set of Union rules, notably related to goods and the Union Customs Code.

Northern Ireland must fully comply with relevant EU rules and standards; for example on food products and live animals to ensure adherence to SPS and IUU requirements.

‘The Government has been working at national level with industry and with sectoral bodies to ensure that businesses around the country can prepare and manage risks.

‘We will also continue to work closely with the EU and fellow Member States to identify options for the fishing industry including a common framework to manage potential tying-up of boats in a situation where no agreement is reached with the UK,’ DAFM outlines.

DAFM supports:

Government supporting measures
Trading with the UK
Potential tariffs on trade
Market diversification
Working with our EU partners