In the UK, the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has praised the government's action plan, 'Simplifying Trade Across UK Borders', which it says will help cut 'unnecessary' red tape and 'burdensome' bureaucracy for the fresh produce industry.
The plan, which responds to lobbying by the FPC through UK trade facilitation body SITPRO, makes up part of the government's review into the cost of international trade regulation.
In the action plan, the government states that it will ensure the delivery of a fair and effective regulatory environment for organisations engaged in international trade, based on streamlined, efficient regulation and procedures for exports and imports, cutting out avoidable costs and delays.
'We are pleased that a number of strategic issues and recommendations where government departments could make efficiencies which we identified have been taken on board as part of this action plan,' said Nigel Jenney, CEO of the FPC. 'We shall continue to work with SITPRO to ensure the government fulfils its promise to improve regulation and removes unnecessary business costs.'
FPC has previously identified a number of issues related to the importation of fresh produce, including delays in holding at ports, a lack of consistency between different port authorities and failures with IT systems.
'FPC has fought hard to secure benefits such as PEACH and reduced inspections for the industry and it would be too east to accept some of these issues as just part of the day-to-day hassle of importing fresh produce,' Mr Jenney added. 'We need to avoid complacency and continue to challenge government to simplify procedures through better integrating of electronic systems and shared data.'
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