The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) has warned that inconsistent post-Brexit veterinary controls and inaccurate certification processes have left UK businesses at risk of economic loss, waste and increasingly unmanageable bureaucracy.
It is therefore urging the UK Government to negotiate a veterinary agreement with the EU as an urgent priority.
Defra ministers have committed to seeking a new veterinary agreement with the EU as part of its ‘new deal with farmers’, which could have significant implications for the UK’s trade in meat products, although the negotiations are likely to be complex and will take a long time.
AIMS said that since Brexit, the UK’s Border Control Posts (BCPs) have exhibited wide variability in how veterinary controls are applied, with individual veterinary decisions creating inconsistent outcomes.
This has exposed importers to unnecessary risks, with different standards being enforced across BCPs. This is ‘not only adding complexity but also causing financial harm, as delays and rejections at the border lead to product spoilage and significant waste, it said, pointing out that a single wrong decision at a BCP can result in millions of pounds in lost revenue, placing both small and large meat processors in a precarious position.
“The situation is untenable,” said Jason Aldiss, head of external affairs at the association. “We are seeing a complete failure in the consistency of veterinary controls, which is compounded by the inaccuracy of the manual, outdated export certification system. Errors in veterinary certification are causing substantial losses for the industry, and without immediate action, these inefficiencies will continue to destabilise the meat sector.
“Furthermore, the additional paperwork and compliance costs for each lorry carrying an export load can be up to £1,500.00 whilst UK importers are being charged up to £870 per truck in customs fees, even when only 2% of consignments are inspected. A cost that is no doubt passed on in the first place to industry and ultimately the consumer”.
Veterinary decisions
The inconsistencies in veterinary decision-making across the country and at BCPs exacerbate these issues, leading to further inefficiency, supply chain disruptions and possibly avoidable food spoilage, he added.
“Inaccurate veterinary certification is another ongoing issue, with the manual, antiquated system in place for export health certificates (EHCs) also prone to human error,” Mr Aldiss added.
“We are regularly hearing of incorrect documentation that results in shipment rejections. These mistakes are costly to businesses and contribute to waste, as perishable products are delayed beyond their usable life.
“AIMS’ view is that veterinary agreement with the EU is urgently needed. It would address these critical issues by aligning veterinary standards, removing the need for EHCs, and ensuring that veterinary controls are applied uniformly across the UK. This would dramatically reduce costs, prevent delays, and restore the efficiency that existed before Brexit”.
“It is essential that the UK Government acts now. Inconsistency and inaccuracy in veterinary controls are crippling our industry. We need a comprehensive veterinary agreement with the EU to ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of the UK meat sector.”
Benefits
Research by Jun Du, Gregory Messenger and Oleksandr Shepotylo at Aston Business School, in Birmingham, has concluded that a new veterinary agreement could deliver significant benefits for trade. It indicated that the conclusion of an EU-UK veterinary agreement could lead to a 22.5% increase in agri-food exports and a 5.6% increase in imports, while also adding 0.22% to the agricultural sector’s value added.
UK farming and livestock sectors are very much in favour of a new veterinary agreement, although they have warned that any removal of export health certificates and related checks must not increase the risk of importing diseases like African swine fever (ASF).
Defra confirmed, as part the government’s work to reset its relationship with the EU to tackle barriers to trade, it will seek to negotiate a veterinary agreement to prevent unnecessary border checks and help to tackle the cost of food.
However, acknowledging that delivering new agreements will take time, it is not putting a deadline on this work.