Thread by @tconnellyRTE

The UK will unilaterally extend the grace periods for food imports into Northern Ireland from Great Britain by six months, @rtenews understands

The move is outlined in written guidance to supermarkets and suppliers, seen by RTE News.

2/ A written statement is due to be presented later by the NI Secretary Brandon Lewis. This morning in the House of Commons Mr Lewis said the UK would introduce a series of “temporary operational steps” in relation to food imports under the Northern Ireland Protocol.

3/ Under an EU UK agreement in December, suppliers of agri-food products into NI were to be exempt from EU export health certificates for the first three months of this year, while the ban on sausages, mince and chilled meat preparations would be suspended for six mths

4/ However, the UK has announced that it will unilaterally extend these grace periods until “at least 1 October 2021.”

5/ According to a notice to be circulated to UK traders: “This means that Authorised Traders can continue to move products of animal origin, composite products, food and fee of non-animal origin and plants and plan products from GB-NI without the need for official certification”

6/ The guidance says that from October 1, new certification for products of animal origin moving GB-NI, as well as plant products, would be phased in.

7/ The guidance states: “We will undertake further engagement with the European Commission on the detailed milestones for the phased introduction of certification and will provide further updates to traders on this.”

8/ During a meeting of the EU UK Joint Committee on February 24, the UK proposed a new “operational plan” for supermarkets and suppliers, accompanied by “investment in digital solutions” for the retail sector in Northern Ireland.

9/ UK sources said at the time that this would provide hi-tech product surveillance and traceability for food consignments moving from GB-NI, in a way that could ultimately replace EU export health certificates and other formalities.

10/ Any mutually agreed extension to the two grace periods would be used to develop such a system, sources suggested at the time

11/ However, European Commission officials are understood to have told the UK at the Feb 24 meeting that more information was needed before the EU could agree to extending grace periods, and that the UK had to implement the measures that both sides had agreed to last December.

12/ It appears that with today’s announcement in the House of Commons by Brandon Lewis, the UK has decided unilaterally to extend the grace periods by six months, and to announce details of the traceability system.

13/ According to the guidance seen by RTE News, the UK will introduce a Digital Assistance Scheme (DAS) which “aims to support the continued movement of agri-food goods from GB to Northern Ireland and address the cost and burde of compliance with the Protocol for industry.”

14/ The guidance states that the DAS will “[digitise] the certification and verification processes and is backed by a major injection of Government funding.”

15/ A spokesman for the Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said the Minister had been in touch with the UK’s lead figure on the issue David Frost this afternoon. The govt would be making no further comment until after the written statement by Brandon Lewis had been made.

16/ It’s understood the European Commission had been in touch with London on the issue ahead of this morning’s announcement in the House of Commons, but there has been no official comment yet.

However, one EU source expressed concern at the development.

17/ “This is something which has to be agreed by both parties. Given what they did with the Internal Market Bill, I am not surprised,” said a source.

18/ The Northern Ireland Retail Consortium welcomed the news.

19/ “The retail industry welcomes the extension of the grace periods in both time and scope, even if it is unilaterally, to allow us to continue to give Northern Ireland households the choice and affordability they need...

20/ "We now have short-term stability, one of our four key asks. But there is still much to be delivered,” said chief executive Aodhán Connolly.

[Correction: the extension would apply only to the 3 month grace period, relating to supermarkets, export health certificates etc]