Business, Freight News, Logistics

Ulster traders to get help with SPS checks

[ December 11, 2020   //   Chris ]

The UK Government is to launch a Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS) for traders moving food or agricultural products for which SPS controls apply as part of its Trader Support Service for Northern Ireland. It will cover, for example, reasonable costs for obtaining Export Health Certificates. The plan was set out in a Command Paper on the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol between the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, and the EU Commission Vice President, Maroš Šefčovič.

It also says there will be unfettered access guaranteed for Northern Ireland businesses to the rest of the UK market with no export declarations required as goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.

A new UK Trader Scheme will ensure there are no new tariffs for businesses and consumers on internal UK trade.

There will be “critical flexibilities” to maintain the smooth flow of trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland for food supplies and medicines, and to avoid the need for any new physical customs infrastructure.

Earlier, on 25 November, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove told a Logistics UK seminar that companies ending food products from mainland Great Britain to Northern Ireland could face a mass of paperwork.

Tags: Brexit