ASHFORD PORT HEALTH RESPONSE TO DEFRA ANNOUNCEMENT

With regards to the announcement this week by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that detailed the intended removal of checks at the border, our Director of Service Anthony Baldock has responded as follows : 

Anthony Baldock, corporate director of health and wellbeing at Ashford Port Health Authority, said: “We are shocked to see that, despite the recent Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) criticisms and endorsement of the need to protect our borders from disease, DEFRA has announced that it will be striving to remove all EU border checks by June 2027.

“The large number of animal disease outbreaks and the discovery, post-Brexit, of high levels of unfit meat originating from the EU clearly show that standards in the EU do not match the high standards we have achieved in the UK. I am not aware of any similar issues involving exports from the UK to the EU.

“It is even more surprising when considered in light of the progress being made in automating checks using AI technology at the Kent Border Control Posts. This innovation has enabled checks to become more efficient while controlling costs and preventing any increases.”

Anthony continued: “It is not currently known whether DEFRA plans to increase its own costs, for example through the Common User Charge, but I would hope that the example we have set, alongside continued joint working with DEFRA's on-site staff, will allow progress in that area, too.

“This approach also seems a strange response given that DEFRA's challenges with the ’timed out decision contingency feature’ (TODCOF) are now finally being resolved through local authority innovation.

“It is very disappointing that the intelligence-led, risk-based methodology created through the UK’s Border Target Operating Model has not formed the basis of a bilateral agreement with our EU colleagues. These gains risk being lost if the UK simply moves to alignment.

“While carve-outs have been suggested, it is highly unlikely that these would be granted and, even if they were, extremely complex labelling requirements would be needed, as those goods would only be permitted within the UK. Animal welfare standards are also higher in the UK and it is unlikely that any alignment would influence this aspect of food production.

“It also remains unclear where the often cited ‘huge savings’ for business will be found, as customs controls will still be required and vehicles will still regularly need to visit the Sevington Inland Border Facility regardless of SPS controls.”