New UK border checks have been pushed back to January 2024.

The UK Government has confirmed that planned post-Brexit border checks for imports from the EU will once again be delayed, drawing criticism that the delay could put animal health at risk.

The introduction of the Border Target Operating Model had been due to start at the end of October 2023. However, the Government has announced that it will now be introduced from January 2024, to allow stakeholders more time to prepare for the new checks.

The new controls will see additional checks on food and animal products. They are designed to protect the UK from plant and animal diseases, defend important agricultural and food supply chains, and assure trading partners of the quality of UK exports.

However, this is the fifth time the model have been postponed, and the news has been met by warnings that animal health is being put at risk. The National Pig Association (NPA) has warned that pushing back the introduction of checks on food imports from the EU could lead to diseases such as African swine fever (ASF) entering the UK.

NPA chief policy adviser Charlie Dewhirst said: “Whilst we understand the Government’s reasoning, this is now the fifth delay in implementing physical checks on goods entering the country, the lack of which is exposing the UK to potentially devastating notifiable diseases like African swine fever.

“ASF is a concern that both the Defra secretary and farming minister have highlighted in recent months and is clearly identified as a threat in the Government’s own Border Target Operating Model documentation published today [29 August].”

Earlier in August, when reports of a possible delay first emerged, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) expressed its own frustration at the lack of progress in implementing checks.

BVA president Malcolm Morley said: “Government vets are doing an unwavering job to mitigate these threats but without proper border controls from the EU in place, they are effectively doing the job with one hand tied behind their backs. The British Veterinary Association urges the Government to urgently press ahead with introducing the checks or risk the safety and security of our agricultural industry, food security and UK public health.”

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