UK: FPC releases statement on Brexit Border u-turn

Nigel Jenney, Chief Executive of the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC), has released a statement after yet another government U-turn on post-Brexit border checks.

As businesses count the cost of millions wasted on now-redundant infrastructure, Jenney is demanding clarity, compensation, and common sense from the UK government.

"The industry cannot prepare because it doesn't have adequate information on time and has no confidence in the UK government because they say one thing and do another," Jenney said.

"We've already, as an industry, shown commitment. We have invested huge amounts of money, millions of pounds, in building infrastructure in good faith at our own cost to allow goods to be inspected."

"For years, we've been urging the government to engage properly with industry and provide clear, consistent timelines for import requirements," continued Jenney. "The fresh produce sector alone has invested millions – with no grant funding – in specialist inspection facilities at the government's request. These are now largely underutilised due to a deliberate failure to provide enough official inspectors. Without urgent action, these sites will become white elephants."

His comments follow the government's last-minute decision to once again delay the introduction of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks on food and plant imports from the EU – the fifth such postponement since Brexit. Businesses that had taken the government at its word and invested in readiness are now facing financial turmoil.

Among them is PML Seafrigo, which spent more than £7 million on a new customs facility in Kent to process perishable goods. That investment may now go to waste. "With what the government has just done, the writing is on the wall," said Mike Parr, chief executive of PML Seafrigo, which manages cold supply chains for perishable imports.

"We spent all that money training our guys in the process, and it's going to be of no use now.""We don't know when these regulations will come into force," Jenney said. "We are just starting the southern hemisphere citrus season. These non-EU products and many more may be subject to new regulations, we just don't know. "It's beyond frustrating."

FPC is urgently calling on the UK government to provide a clear timetable for the new SPS agreement, including when it will be finalized and applied. They urge the extension of the 1 July 2025 BTOM implementation deadline for EU fruit and vegetables until the agreement is in place, or alternatively, ensure that industry Control Points are fully staffed with official inspectors 24/7 and/or that Authorised Operator Status is adopted simultaneously. Furthermore, FPC advises against unnecessary border controls on non-EU sourced fresh produce by adopting long-term derogations from dynamic alignment to facilitate UK sales, thereby ensuring these goods are not subject to inappropriate SPS checks or blanket EU standards for UK-only consumption.

Karen Betts, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation, echoed industry-wide concern, highlighting that the EU remains the UK's largest export market for food and drink. "Our manufacturers need stability and a functioning trade system, not policy lurches," she said.

Just weeks before the government's latest reversal, Defra had indicated that an authorised operator scheme would launch imminently – prompting a fresh wave of costly preparations. For citrus fruit importers reliant on predictable regulatory requirements, the confusion has been especially damaging.

"As the 1 July rapidly approaches, after constantly requesting clarification from Government, both FPC and the recent Parliamentary EFRA Committee have been unable to secure the necessary information. There is still no clarity over whether or when the new import regime will be enforced," Jenney added.

The broader economic toll is becoming clear. A recent study by the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy found that UK food and drink exports to the EU have dropped by 16% since Brexit, citing regulatory uncertainty and customs red tape.

Now, the FPC and port authorities are calling for compensation. The British Ports Association reports that over £120 million has been spent by ports in preparation for post-Brexit checks – including £23 million at Portsmouth International Port alone. "These facilities were built in good faith, under clear government direction," said Jenney. "If they're now surplus to requirements, the government must do the right thing and reimburse those who acted responsibly."

Despite the chaos, Jenney remains focused on solutions. "What the fresh produce industry needs is certainty – not delay after delay," he said.

"We stand ready to work with government to build a proportionate, effective border regime. But we won't sit back while our sector's time, money and trust are squandered."