Recommendation 4

Government intends to introduce full import controls in phases from January 2022, but much work remains to be done. The UK originally intended to introduce import controls on goods entering Great Britain from the EU when the transition period ended in January 2021. The government has delayed introducing these controls three times and now intends to introduce them in phases between January 2022 and November 2022. Departments have made progress towards introducing the systems, infrastructure and staff necessary but there is still much to be completed. For example, currently, the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) for SPS checks cannot communicate with the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) system to tell hauliers where they should go if the goods they are carrying are selected for SPS checks. In addition, some of the staff and infrastructure required for the implementation of import controls are not yet in place. The British Port Authority, told us that it requires greater clarity from government regarding the charging regime that government intends to implement to cover the operating costs at its inland sites and on the actual arrangements for undertaking checks at ports, such as the percentage of products that will be checked. Recommendation: Alongside the Treasury Minute, Government should write to the Committee setting out what it has delivered so far and its plans for ensuring that it delivers: i) key systems requirements, including links between systems such as IPAFFS and GVMS; ii) staff and infrastructure requirements; and iii) clarity to ports on the charging regime at government-owned inland sites and the volume of checks that it expects to undertake on goods moving through ports.