FOOD AND DRINK exported from the EU to Britain will face additional barriers from today under post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The UK is now requiring that advance notification and customs declarations must be made for agri-food products travelling into Britain from EU countries, including Ireland. 

Trade with Northern Ireland is not impacted by the changes.

In some cases, businesses will also need an Export Health Certificate for agri-food products depending on the risk category they fall under. 

Physical checks at UK Border Posts are expected to commence later this year, tentatively from 31 October 2024.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said this week that officials have been in touch with exporters and Ireland is “well prepared” for the changes, but urged businesses to make sure they are ready for the new requirements.

The UK is largest single destination for Irish food, drink and horticulture exports. It makes up nearly half of Irish beef exports, worth around €1.3 billion, while dairy exports to the UK were worth €1.1 billion in 2023. 

The UK’s Home Secretary James Cleverly said that there would be “no interruption” to food in supermarkets as a result of the change – a concern for citizens given previous disruption to food supply chains caused by Brexit.

“We’re going to make sure that these sensible, responsible checks are done in a way that makes no interruption to the supply of food to the shelves, so people don’t need to worry about that,” Cleverly said.

“We of course want to make sure that we maintain good quality food available on the shelves and we’ve always been able to do that and we will continue doing that now.”