Importers are warning that government must keep its promise to cut unnecessary red tape and allow the fresh produce industry to trade efficiently. The warning comes following the publication of the government action plan Simplifying Trade Across UK Borders. The report is a response to lobbying by the Fresh Produce Consortium on behalf of the industry through SITPRO, the UK trade facilitation body and is part of a government review of the cost of international trade regulation.

In the plan published last week the government states: “we will ensure the delivery of a fair and effective regulatory environment for those engaged in international trade, based on streamlined, efficient regulation and procedures for exports and imports - cutting out avoidable costs and delays for business.”

SITPRO has calculated that documentary systems cost the perishables supply chain more than £1billion a year. And the UK is ranked only 16th globally, below major competitors, for its ease of trading across borders, thus leaving it at a commercial disadvantage.

FPC chief executive Nigel Jenney has welcomed the commitments made in the report. He said: “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. We shall continue to work with SITPRO to ensure that the government fulfils its promise to improve regulation and removes unnecessary business costs.”

FPC had lobbied hard after its members identified a number of issues relating to the importation of fresh produce, such as unnecessary delays in holding produce at ports, a lack of consistency between different ports authorities, failures with IT systems and delays in obtaining clearance for consignments, and concerns regarding effective integration of CHIEF and PEACH systems through the Automatic Licence Verification System (ALV).

Jenney said: “FPC has fought to secure benefits such as PEACH and reduced inspections for the industry and it would be too easy to accept some of these issues as just part of the day-to-day hassle of importing fresh produce. We need to avoid complacency and continue to challenge Government to simplify procedures through better integrating of electronic systems and shared data.”

Under the government plan, all government trade-related information will be transferred to the BusinessLink website and there will be progressive electronic enablement of further trade transactions as well as the extension of the primary authority scheme to port health authorities an modernisation of process for amending trade documents and an improvement to the Customs’ online tariff.

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