Brexit: Processes to ease food delivery to NI announced

Groupage has caused some issues for independent retailers in Northern Ireland

The government has announced new processes aimed at easing problems with mixed loads of food products moving from GB to NI.

That type of haulage, known as groupage, has seen major disruption due to the new Irish Sea border.

It has meant independent retailers have not been able to receive their normal deliveries from GB suppliers.

The new processes are focused on security sealing individual pallets carried as part of a groupage load.

The NI Executive has also announced that a light-touch approach to the new Irish Sea border for pets will be extended until July.

Both measures were announced on Friday before the row over Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Groupage is when goods from different companies for different customers are grouped together on one lorry.

It has faced problems because food products now face strict EU rules.

Products such as meat, milk and fish now need to be certified by vets when moving from GB to NI.

This certification is being phased in for retailers but already applies in full for food service and catering firms.

A UK government spokesperson said its new approach "is more flexible and gives businesses further options as to how they meet the required SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) checks".

"We will continue to offer our support to hauliers and suppliers as this beds in."

The statement added that freight volumes into Northern Ireland "are at normal levels for this time of year" and "there have been no significant queues".

Challenges

When the certificates are issued, the lorry trailer is supposed to be sealed.

That is relatively straightforward when one company in GB is sending a load directly to another company in NI.

• Mixed food loads pose problems at Irish Sea border

However, a groupage movement could involve picking up goods from several different warehouses with loads potentially moving from one lorry to another along the way.

This means trailer seals having to be broken, goods recertified and seals reapplied multiple times.

This is proving complex, time consuming and prone to error.

There are strict rules about the packaging of goods in groupage food loads

Therefore, many hauliers have been refusing to transport groupage food loads.

Under the new arrangements, pallets can be sealed in a tamper-proof way under official supervision.

Wrapping with cling film or pallet wrap alone will not be enough to meet the requirements.

The advice says that strapping would be needed on top of cling film with a seal attached to the cross-over points of the strapping.

It will also be possible to seal a consignment within part of a lorry trailer provided there is only one point of entry and the seal is applied to that entrance.

Pet travel

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture has announced an extension of a grace period for the movement of pets across the Irish Sea border.

• What will happen to pet passports after Brexit?

Dogs travelling from GB-NI should have either a pet passport if they are based in NI or an animal health certificate if they are based in GB.

These documents will then be checked at veterinary facilities at Northern Ireland's ports.

Documentary checks have not been so far been carried out but were due to start on Monday.

However, that grace period has now been extended until July.

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots said: "After working with my officials over the past number of weeks to seek potential flexibilities, I can confirm that they will extend the current education phase to 1 July, to allow pet owners time to familiarise themselves with the new rules.

"Routine checks will not commence until then."

Mr Poots said he would continue to press for Common Travel Area for pets across GB and NI, and the Republic of Ireland.

"It's clearly the most logical approach - and would lessen the real and serious concerns of pet travellers across all jurisdictions,' he added.

There will be no routine checks carried out on those travelling with pets from GB to NI until 1 July 2021, travellers will then be expected to be fully compliant from that date.

Officials will reserve the right to undertake checks should there be a suspicion of illegal activity or welfare concerns.