United Kingdom Border Target Operating Model

In April 2023, the United Kingdom notified the WTO SPS Committee of the publication of the draft 'Border Target Operating Model' (BTOM) [G/SPS/N/GBR/30]. This addendum notifies Members that the final version of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) has now been published, setting out the new Sanitary and Phytosanitary controls at the UK's borders. The measures contained in the TOM will apply to imports of live animals, germinal products, animal products, plants and plant products.The Final Target Operating Model (The Border Target Operating Model: August 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))The United Kingdom has considered the comments received on the draft TOM, including those relating to implementation, existing and emerging biosecurity and security threats. The timeline published in the draft BTOM has been slightly adjusted to give businesses and their supply-chains more time to prepare. We will implement the Border Target Operating Model from January 2024 onwards, beginning with the introduction of health certification on relevant EU goods. Changes to the process for importing goods into Great Britain from non-EU trading partners will now take place from 30 April 2024.We have also sought to respond to stakeholder feedback to improve the wider model and provide further detail on its implementation. The BTOM now contains additional information or clarification on the following areas:Risk categorisation: Further detail of the risk categorisation of specific commodities can be found on page 36 for Risk Categories for Live Animals, Products of Animal Origin and Animal By-Products and page 47 for Plants and Plant Products·       We have now also published the non-EU (Rest of the World) risk categorisation which is available on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/risk-categories-for-animal-and-animal-product-imports-from-non-eu-countries-to-great-britain for animal and animal products and https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/trade/imports/imports-from/tom-risk-categories-from-non-eu-countries for plant and plant products;Groupage: Further information on support for importers using groupage models can be found on page 57;Trusted Trader: Further detail on the new trusted trader pilots, the timeline for these, and details on applying for them can be found for the European Union on page 42 for the Trusted Trader approach for animal products, the Authorised Operator Status for Plants and Plant Products can be found on page 50;Transit movements: Further information on transit movements is on page 65;Common user Charge: Additional information on the indicative charges at government owned BCPs can be found on page 75;IT Systems and digitised certification: a systems roadmap and timeline is available on page 81;Single Trade Window: A delivery plan and timeline has been provided on page 84;Windsor Framework: Additional information on the interactions between the Windsor Framework and the BTOM is on page 68;Import of samples: We have published information on import samples (refer to page 40) and outlined that detailed industry specific guidance will be provided.For Sanitary and Phytosanitary controls, our approach under the new model will have the following three key elements:A new global risk-based approach: live animals, germinal products, products of animal origin, animal by-products, plants and plant products will be categorised as high, medium or low risk, with controls appropriately weighted against the risks posed both by the commodity and the country of origin. We have published a comprehensive searchable list with commodity codes to identify risk categories of animal and animal products for the European Union. (Please refer to gov.uk: BTOM risk categories for animal and animal product imports from the EU to Great Britain: searchable list with commodity codesStreamlined and digitised health certificates: we are digitising phytosanitary certificates in 2023 with take-up depending on our trade partners' readiness. We have also published streamlined export health certificates for live animals and animal products (please refer to gov.uk: Model health certificates for exports of live animals and animal products to Great Britain - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)), and we will seek to deliver digitised export health certificates in 2024 leading to more automated use of data;Use trust: we will pilot schemes with industry where authorised importers of plants, plant products and some animal products may be eligible for facilitations to make importing easier. To qualify, traders will need to provide the enhanced assurances and evidence that they are meeting the regulatory biosecurity requirements and standards. The schemes will be piloted to ensure that they will provide robust biosecurity assurances for UK exports and will not be implemented if they do not demonstrate this.Timeline31 January 2024 -·       Export health certificates and phytosanitary certificates are introduced for medium risk animal products, plants and plant products imported to Great Britain from the European Union and EFTA countries including Irish goods, as well as non-qualifying Northern Ireland goods;·       Introduction of pre-notification for non-qualifying Northern Ireland and Ireland origin animal products, plant and plant products.30 April 2024 -·       Documentary checks and physical and identity checks at the border are introduced for medium risk animal products, plant and plant products imported to Great Britain from the European Union and EFTA countries (excluding those goods being imported from the Republic of Ireland);·       The introduction of documentary and risk-based identity and physical checks on medium risk animal products, plants, plant products and high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin from the European Union. Existing inspections of high-risk plants/plant products from the European Union will move from destination to Border Control Posts;·       We will also begin to simplify imports from non-EU countries. This will include the removal of health certification and routine checks on low-risk animal products, plants, plant products from non-EU countries as well as reduction in physical and identity check levels on medium-risk animal products from non-EU countries;·       The global model of controls is introduced for Rest of World imports, health certificates will no longer be required for low-risk goods and pre-notification will no longer be required for low-risk plant and plant products.31 October 2024 -·       Safety and Security declarations for EU imports will come into force;·       A reduced dataset introduced for imports and use of the UK Single Trade Window will remove duplication where possible across different pre-arrival datasets – such as Safety and Security, and pre-lodged customs declarations.From 31 October 2024 -·       The introduction of documentary and risk-based identity and physical checks on medium risk animal products, plants, plant products and high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin from the European Union. The date for the commencement of physical checks for non-qualifying goods moving from the island of Ireland will be confirmed in Autumn 2023.·       These changes will not affect the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods into Great Britain, which will continue to benefit from unfettered access. Nor will they affect the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, arrangements for which are outlined under the Windsor Framework.Importers and their supply chains should already be preparing for the first milestone and should begin to prepare for the second and third milestones now.We will publish further detail to support businesses and their supply chains to prepare. We will publish this detail through a series of supplementary annexes to the Border Target Operating Model that will be published on gov.uk. A timeline for the publication of this further detail is set out in Annex I. We intend to work closely with importers and the border industry and will create a business readiness group that we will use to continue consultation with businesses on the further guidance and support they require to prepare.