The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) has welcomed the Government’s intention to “reset the UK’s relationship” with the European Union.
AIMS has written to the Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, welcoming Government plans to “reset” the UK-EU relationship.
In the letter, AIMS called on Government to end the requirement for veterinary certification for imports and exports of products of animal origin to and from the EU with immediate effect.
It went on to say that the current veterinary certification system was “never designed for a 21st-century supply chain”, citing avoidable annual costs, delays at borders and restricted export capacity as faults of the system. It also said it “diverts hundreds of veterinary professionals from higher-value public health work” and delivers “no added safety where regulatory alignment is near total, as it is with the EU”.
Dr Jason Aldiss, executive director at AIMS, said: “One of the most immediate and deliverable ways to realise this vision is by addressing the burden of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) certification, as this is little more than a legacy from the pre-digital age that result in an outdated system which in turn imposes significant cost and friction, with negligible public health value.”
“The UK has the sovereign ability to remove these requirements unilaterally for EU imports.”
Dr Jason Aldiss, AIMS
Aldiss continued: “The UK has the sovereign ability to remove these requirements unilaterally for EU imports and should urgently pursue mutual recognition for exports through bilateral negotiations.
“We have written to the Minister on behalf of our many exporting members laying out the very real benefits that demonstrate how meaningful trade liberalisation can be achieved without compromising food safety or animal health.
“These would help to streamline supply chains, particularly for perishable and composite goods whilst releasing significant veterinary capacity back into priority sectors and also empower SMEs to access new markets without facing prohibitive bureaucratic hurdles, thereby contributing to the UK’s economic growth agenda.”
AIMS said the UK can “remove certification requirements for EU imports unilaterally”, and it is “confident the EU would welcome reciprocal simplification”.
Aldiss continued: “The UK is, as one Brussels stakeholder described it, ‘pushing against an open door’.
“AIMS stands ready to support the delivery of this policy. We are already piloting blockchain-based digital certifications systems, such as Vetasure, that can support real-time risk-based assurance and audit. The tools exist. The industry is ready and the moment to act is now.”
