With the UK-EU Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) set to take effect on July 1, groups such as the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) and the Food and Drink Federation have sounded the alarm, demanding clarity and a firm timetable for implementing a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.
“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,” said the FPC’s chief executive.
The SNP has echoed these concerns, calling on the UK government to delay the BTOM rollout until the SPS agreement is in place, and to involve the Scottish Government in all consultations to ensure exporters north of the border aren’t left at a disadvantage.
EU food and drink exports from the UK have plummeted 16% since Brexit, highlighting what the SNP describes as the tangible damage of inadequate planning.
Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, said: “Firms have spent millions in good faith preparing for inspections and compliance, only to have the rug pulled from under them by Labour’s repeated u-turns and dithering. Businesses need clarity, not chaos.
“This debacle is only the latest in Labour’s masterclass in mismanagement. Scotland’s world-class food and drink industry deserves better. Only the SNP are standing up for Scotland’s interests.
“It is vital that the UK government consults with the Scottish Government and industry on the SPS agreement as key issues remain unresolved, and Scotland must have a say to protect our interests.”