Post-Brexit grace period extended for UK food arriving in NI

The British Government has decided the grace period for certain food supplies arriving in Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK will continue until October.

There will be a phased introduciton of certification requirements, to avoid ttraders being overwhelmed by "disruptive" extra red-tape.

Secretary of State says it's part of a "pragmatic and proportionate implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol".

The Protocol has meant checks on some good are mandatory at Northern Ireland's Ports.

These sea checks were agreed between the UK and the EU to avoid a hard border on the Island of Ireland.

Brandon Lewis said: "These (changes) recognise that appropriate time must be provided for businesses to implement new requirements, and support the effective flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.''

"For supermarkets and their suppliers, as part of the operational plan the UK committed to at the UK-EU Joint Committee on February 24, the current Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland (STAMNI) will continue until October 1.

"Certification requirements will then be introduced in phases alongside the rollout of the Digital Assistance Scheme.''

He said further guidance will be provided later this week on parcel movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, to provide necessary additional time for traders beyond April 1.

"Guidance will also be set out to help address practical problems on soil attached to the movement of plants, seeds, bulbs, vegetables and agricultural machinery.''

Under the terms of the protocol, which governs the movement of goods in and out of the region post-Brexit, all non-prohibited agri-food goods arriving from GB require an EU export health certificate (EHC) declaring that they pose no risk.

They are a consequence of a Brexit deal that has resulted in Northern Ireland remaining in the EU single market for goods, while the rest of the UK has left that regulatory zone.