The Financial Times reports that UK food manufacturers are facing millions of pounds in extra costs because of Brexit red tape from next month. The European Commission will introduce new layers of bureaucracy on food imports, the industry has warned.
The new EU legislation covering multi-ingredient products, ranging from chocolate bars to curry sauces, is expected to increase the volume of UK export health certificates required to send food to the EU by up to one-third, industry associations warned.
The additional paperwork, which will be required from April 21, will also lead to more problems in operating the Northern Ireland Protocol as it will increase the levels of checks on food products moving from Great Britain across the Irish Sea, which under the terms of the Brexit divorce deal are required to comply with EU customs rules.
The new EU rules, which will apply to all so-called “third countries”, mean that “shelf-stable” products that contain meat and pasteurised milk and some egg products will require a vet-stamped export health certificate.
Other products, such as cheese and onion crisps, which contain cheese powder, will require pages of “attestation” documents from the shipper detailing the source of the cheese used to flavour the crisps, according to policy experts at the FDF.
Several UK food manufacturers, who asked not to be named, told the Financial Times the additional paperwork and cost from EHCs will make exports of composite products commercially non-viable.
