Drivers transporting goods between the UK and the EU are experiencing significant delays due to post-Brexit food checks. Daniel Vasco, a lorry driver, reported a nine-hour wait at the Eurotunnel terminal in Calais, preparing for a 24-hour drive from London to Gibraltar. During this delay, three boxes of cannelloni were removed from his truck because a health official had incorrectly put the current date instead of the use-by date on the paperwork.
Other issues include pig carcasses being removed and destroyed after falling from their hanging positions in a refrigerated unit, creating a risk of contamination. These checks require extensive paperwork, including export health certificates, customs documents, and veterinary certificates, which were not needed when the UK was part of the EU’s single market.
Next Friday, Andy Burnham and EU leaders are expected to sign a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal. This agreement aims to simplify the export of fresh food, drink, and animal products. However, a full return to the single market is not anticipated, meaning some checks and customs declarations will still be required.
A report from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published last Friday indicated that small to medium-sized businesses have been most affected by the Brexit checks. The new SPS deal is understood to be implemented no earlier than January 2028, due to the need for UK legislation to align with EU regulations on food and animal products.