Canal Brexit, the collaboration forum between the administration, sectoral associations, and organizations to analyze the evolution of trade with the United Kingdom after its departure from the EU and to detect and solve possible problems in the different economic sectors, held its sixth online meeting since its constitution. The Secretary of State for Trade gave a general overview of the new customs formalities there are in the United Kingdom since this month and clarified any doubts raised by the attendees.
Due to the Brexit, the UK has established new customs requirements for the fresh fruit and vegetable export sector, which started to be implemented as of January 1, 2021, and will be rolled out in three phases. In the first phase, which began on January 1, 2021, sales of fresh community fruit and vegetables in the United Kingdom must be accompanied by a customs declaration (DUA) and a certificate of conformity with marketing standards.
In the second phase -which was initially going to start being applied in April of last year and that has been postponed twice: first to January 1, 2022, and then to July 1, 2022- fresh fruit and vegetables shipments must also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate.
Exports of fresh fruit and vegetables to the UK in 2021 have remained practically stable compared to the previous year. According to data from the Department of Customs and Excise Duties, corresponding to the period from January to October 2021, sales to the United Kingdom stood at 1.2 million tons, i.e. 1% less than in the same months of 2020. Vegetable exports amounted to 643,252 tons and were 4% lower than in the previous year, and fruit exports amounted to 567,433, 1% more than in the previous year.
Source: fepex.es