Three-month delay is welcomed by business groups, but more clarity is sought
The government has delayed the introduction of Safety and Security Declarations (SSD) to next January.
The import requirements for goods from the EU were originally due to be introduced as part of the UK’s Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) on 31 October 2024, but have now been postponed to 31 January 2025.
The government insisted that the UK “remains committed to upholding the principles of the World Customs Organisation SAFE Framework of Standards”.
According to Politico, the government was also planning to roll out its Single Trade Window (STW) in October — a platform that allows importers and exporters to file all their paperwork digitally in a single place.
HMRC told the website that the first release of the Single Trade Window functionality is currently in testing with selected users. The department is “listening to industry about the time it will take them to prepare” for the new regime, it added.
‘Some breathing space’
Nichola Mallon, head of trade at business group Logistics UK, welcomed the delay in postponing the introduction of Safety and Security Declarations, but said the group’s members are concerned that the extension “does not allow sufficient time for dialogue and action to take place”.
“Our members have been requesting more information about how the new border arrangements will work for some time, but even after the appointment of the new government, engagement with industry has been totally lacking,” she added.
“Our members are the organisations which move all the goods that businesses and consumers rely on every day, and they need time and training to ensure that new processes are embedded and operating smoothly and that the supply chain can deliver what all sectors of the economy need.
“This extension beyond Christmas gives some breathing space to our members who are focused on ensuring that festive products reach their destinations at the industry’s busiest time of year.
“However, more time on its own is not a solution. The government needs to provide clarity and the detail the industry needs to plan and adapt to meet these new trading requirements and for the changes to avoid this new introductory date being moved again.
“More than five months after the introduction of the second phase of the Border Target Operating Model, the government has yet to publish a clear timetable about how and when it will fully implement the fresh produce checks introduced on 31 April.”
