Defra BTOM Legislation Feedback Required - 2nd April

26 Mar 2024

Following the publication of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) on 29 August 2023, the UK, Scottish, and Welsh Governments have now implemented the 31 January 2024 milestone to bring in the first phase of the new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) regime.

To deliver the second stage from 30 April 2024 as set out in the BTOM, Defra are seeking to legislate in further regulations.

In respect of plant health, the proposed legislation will:

• For plants and plant products, move physical and identity checks of goods from the EU, Switzerland and Liechtenstein to BCPs and Control Points (CPs). Medium and high-risk plants and plant products from the EU must come through a point of entry with the relevant BCP. Once the goods arrive, any necessary identity and physical checks will be carried out at BCPs or CPs. That means that plant health import checks of EU regulated plants and plant products must be performed at designated BCPs or CPs once the
Place of Destination (PoD) scheme comes to an end. Trade will have to present their goods for inspection at BCPs or at CPs accordingly before they are able to move their goods to destination.

Further changes affecting both plants and animals are contained in the attachment below.

Border Target Operating Model Statutory Instrument PH050 Feedback

We ask all members to read this information and provide a short comment / response to FPC by 1st April to allow us to respond on behalf of the sector. This can be done by email to nigel@freshproduce.org.uk or kshields@freshproduce.org.uk.