New Government Fee For Animal & Plant Based Products
UK government has confirmed plans to introduce a new fee for the import of animal and plant based products arriving at the port of Dover, and through the Eurotunnel at Folkestone, which applies from 30th April 2024.
The ‘Common User Charge’ will be £29 for medium/high risk products and £10 for low risk products. The fee will be charged per commodity line and will apply to lines that share the same commodity code on each Common Based Entry Document (CHED). However, it will be capped at £145 per CHED.
Trade groups have criticised the fee and warned that consumers could see further rises in food prices as a result, with increased business costs also lowering choices for shoppers.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have said that the fees will cover the high costs of border inspections and improve biosecurity by preventing the import of plant and animal diseases into the UK. The charges apply to imports entering the UK and transits entering and leaving.
The announcement of these fees directly follows the introduction of a new Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), which the government finalised in August and implemented from 31st January of this year. The new BTOM includes significant changes to the importing of animal and food products and the introduction of the new three tiered risk system.
Full details of the Common User Charge can be found on the government’s website HERE. If customers require further information, then please do not hesitate to contact our in-house food logistics division.
