Export businesses have been urged to prepare for the next phase of British import controls,which are coming into effect on 1 April.

Exporters in Ireland should engage with everyone in their supply chain, including British importers, to ensure that they are clear on their roles and responsibilities, and have the capacity to meet them, the Government Information Service (GIS) has said.

The new requirements will impact on exporters of all products of animal origin, including all meat, dairy, fish and composite products incorporating products of animal origin, as well as regulated plants and plant products.

Growth flattening

Freight vehicle movements into Ireland from Great Britain have increased from 1,423 movements in the first week of the year, to 7,263 movements last week – but the rate of growth is now flattening.

For the eight-week January to February period, ROI/British freight volumes went down by around 40%.

On direct continental services, freight volumes increased by around 80% compared with the same period in 2020. 

In addition to the new Brexit-related checks and controls, factors involved included:

• Significant stockpiling at the end of 2020,
• Greater use of direct routes, and
• Continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outbound movements into Britain from Ireland have increased each week since the end of the transition period, with a daily peak of 1,388 movements on 25 February.

Strong demand continues for direct maritime services to the continent.

New British import controls

While the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement provides for tariff-free, quota-free trade, and for sectoral co-operation in a number of important areas, Brexit will have a far-reaching and lasting impact on business and citizens in Ireland and across the EU, the GIS has said.

Britain is no longer a member of the Single Market or Customs Union, which has resulted in new customs and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements (that is, measures to protect humans, animals, and plants from diseases, pests, or contaminants) since 1 January 2021.

Britain will introduce its next phase of import controls on exports from the EU from 1 April.

Everyone in the supply chain – including the exporter, customs agent, British importer, logistics, freight forwarder, haulage business and driver – should know and understand the new requirements, so that the supply chain operates and functions as an integrated whole.

A major Government information campaign aimed at exporters is underway across print, radio and digital advertising.

Trade flows

Customs and SPS formalities are now an integral part of trade with Britain following the latter’s departure from the EU.

These customs formalities and other regulatory requirements form part of Ireland’s responsibility, as a member of the EU, to maintain the integrity of the Single Market and the Customs Union.

In practical terms, these requirements mean that there will never be a scenario where all goods (100%) arriving into Ireland from Britain will be able to move as seamlessly as they did when Britain was a member of the EU.

Revenue’s approach to this new trading environment is designed to facilitate legitimate trade, the GIS has said.

'Green routing'

Approximately 80% of freight vehicle movements into Ireland from Britain are now getting a ‘green routing’, and can immediately leave the port.

For the remaining 20%, certain goods are ‘orange routed’, meaning that they need a documentary check or similar control, and some goods are ‘red routed’, meaning there is a requirement for a physical examination or inspection of the goods.

Since 1 January 2021, there have been over 47,200 freight-vehicle movements into Ireland, across 824 ferries, from Britain – 79% of these were green routed, 17% orange routed, and 4% red routed.

In the same period, there have been almost 43,600 freight-vehicle movements out of Ireland to Britain.

Since 1 January, Revenue has processed over 2.6 million import declarations of various types. Over 320,000 export declarations for goods movements to Britain were also processed.

Traffic volumes within Dublin Port and the surrounding road network are monitored on a daily basis, and have remained at ‘status green’ since 1 January.

Traffic-management plans remain in place to deal with traffic congestion, particularly at the Port Tunnel and motorways. 

Direct routes

Sea-borne freight accounts for 90% of Ireland’s merchandise trade in volume terms.

The shipping industry has increased capacity to match market demand. Responses include:

• Utilisation of surplus capacity,
• Increasing capacity by altering schedules,
• Redeploying vessels within fleets, and
• Adding new capacity in the form of additional vessels.

As of February 2021, there are around 68 RoRo freight sailings between Ireland and the continent in a typical week. This includes five shipping operators – Irish Ferries, Stena Line, DFDS, Brittany Ferries, and CLDN.

This represents an increase of around 34 sailings per week, or a 150% increase in continental RoRo frequency compared with February 2020.

Weekly RoRo freight capacity to continental EU ports has doubled in the past 12 months. The largest increase in capacity has come on RoRo services to Northern France.

In January 2020, capacity to Northern France represented 35% of all continental EU capacity. As of February 2021, it now accounts for around 49%.

Government supports

A range of Government supports, including advisory, upskilling and financial supports, are available to assist businesses in responding to the challenges of Brexit.

Uptake of the €9,000 ‘Ready for Customs’ grant has increased, and is assisting businesses with staff training as they adjust to the new trading environment and changes to their supply chains. To date, businesses have recruited over 1,300 staff using this grant.

Bord Bia offers training in customs and tariffs, supply-chain management, and SPS requirements tailored to the needs of the food-and-drink sector.

Clear Customs training, delivered through Skillnet Ireland, continues to be available to Irish businesses.

New direct ferry routes to Europe