Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the preparedness of the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) to replace the EU’s Trade Control and Expert System; and what discussions she has had with representatives of port health authorities on contingency planning for IPAFFS after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) was ready for use in advance of the last withdrawal date of 12 April. Since then, work on IPAFFS has continued to further develop and stabilise the system, improving the user experience and increasing functionalities for imports from countries outside the EU.
IPAFFS is currently available for businesses to register and begin familiarising themselves with the system. Businesses importing goods from outside the EU are able to use the system from Day 1. IPAFFS replicates the same functionality as the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) currently used by importers to notify authorities about imports of animal products, high-risk food and feed from non-EU countries.
For an interim period, businesses importing goods from the EU will follow a separate process whilst this functionality is built into IPAFFS.
As part of our programme’s nationwide business readiness activities we have been engaging with businesses, stakeholders and users of IPAFFS (including Port Health Authorities) to ensure they can familiarise themselves with the system ahead of 31 October.
The current IPAFFS contingency process is mostly unchanged from the one proposed for the previous departure date in March and follows a similar process to that used by TRACES if it were to stop working today. The National Clearance Hub has accepted the contingency as workable.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether UK ports will be required to undertake sanitary and phytosanitary controls of high-risk food and feed from the EU in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
The process for importing feed and food from the EU to the UK will not change after Brexit. There will be no additional controls or checks. Full guidance has been published on Gov.uk and this includes new arrangements for the notification only of certain imports.
Options for a new, long term imports regime for animals and animal products are under consideration. The sanitary and phytosanitary conditions for trade between the UK and the EU will also be a matter for negotiation as part of our Future Relationship with the EU.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether UK ports will be required to undertake sanitary and phytosanitary controls on high risk food and feed from the EU in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement; and how long such controls are expected to be in place.
Answered by George Eustice
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the preparedness of the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) to replace the EU’s Trade Control and Expert System; and what discussions the Government has had with representatives of port health authorities on contingency planning for IPAFFS after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government has plans to implement EU Official Control Regulation 2017/625 on the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products.
Answered by George Eustice
The new Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625 will apply in EU member states from 14 December 2019.
How and when the UK implements this Regulation will depend on our departure from the EU. If we leave the EU with a deal, there is likely to be an implementation period until at least 31 December 2020. During this period, EU law will apply including the Official Controls Regulation. The UK will therefore need to implement this new Regulation at the same time as EU member states on 14 December 2019.
In a no-deal situation, the UK will be able to choose whether and when to apply these measures as the Regulation will not apply automatically to the UK. However, UK exporters to the EU will have to meet the import requirements that apply to imports from third countries.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether live animal consignments designated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) or non-CITES will be permitted to enter the UK using (a) the Port of Dover (b) Eurotunnel, (c) Harwich and (d) Portsmouth.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the UK will be a listed country for animal health in relation to (a) ungulates, (b) equines (c) dogs, (e) cats and (f) ferrets in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
i) Ungulates, Equines and commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets
The United Kingdom submitted its application to allow exports of live animals and animal products to the European Commission in January 2019.
The UK continues to undertake constructive engagement with the European Commission on third country listing, and has already provided the necessary assurances requested by the European Commission in order for the relevant Committee to consider listing the UK as a third country for exports of live animals and animal products. This would ensure that exports of ungulates (hoofed animals), equines and commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets to the EU would continue in a no deal.
The relevant Committee meeting to vote on our listed status is expected to be scheduled and meet ahead of exit date.
ii) Non-commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets
Non-commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets is covered by the EU Pet Travel Scheme which has 3 categorisations of third country: unlisted, Part 1 listed and Part 2 listed.
Third countries can apply to the European Commission to be listed under the EU Pet Travel Scheme. The United Kingdom submitted its application to allow the UK to become a Part 1 listed third country under Annex II of the EU Pet Travel Regulations to the European Commission in January 2019. It is for the Commission to consider our application for listed status. The UK is likely to be treated as an unlisted country under the EU Pet Travel Scheme if it leaves without a deal.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to EU Official Control Regulation 2017/625 due to come into force on 14 December 2019, whether the Government has contingency plans to process consignments of live animals in the event that they are returned to the UK after being refused entry into the EU if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The Government has strong plans in place to manage issues or risks arising from the import or export of animals and agri-food products. This includes managing the risk of high risk journeys, measures to safeguard welfare and processes required if animals or goods are rejected at EU borders.
If the UK is listed and the exported animals meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production and trade between the Member States and consignments are in compliance with the relevant Official Controls Regulation (OCR) and associated tertiary legislation, then in principle those animals should not be refused entry.
Where the consignments are not in compliance with the relevant requirements and present a risk to animal and human health, the OCR and tertiary legislation provide for a range of measures ranging from quarantine (pending further decision of the competent authorities at Border Control Posts), destruction of consignments, special treatment and re-despatch. The regime for these measures is essentially the same as the one provided under Regulation 882/2004.
UK goods, including live animals that are exported to the EU in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and rejected at an EU Border Control Post can travel back to the UK on the same documents issued for their journey. The consignment will need pre-notification to the UK of its return, but will be able to return to the UK via any port of entry and will not be subject to routine veterinary checks at the port of entry.
Transporters of animals have a legal duty to protect the welfare of their animals and should only plan journeys if they are sure that the journey is viable and compliant with welfare requirements, for instance on maximum journey times.
They will need to check that all certification is in place and all EU import conditions are met to minimise the likelihood of being returned.