I just wanted to share some updates relating to the Target Operating Model that may be useful.

DEFRA has now published the risk categories for EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) imports - see here.

The categories of high, medium, and low risk give the details of how the new SPS regime will be applied. If you import food products, live animals, animal products, plants or plant products from the EU into Great Britain (GB), you need to check the TOM risk-level of your commodity to be ready for upcoming changes to border processes.

As a reminder, there are 3 components of the SPS regime:

1. Pre-notification - supports action at points of entry and targets activity for shipments posing biggest biosecurity risk. The detail allows traceability and allows authorities to identify and respond to an outbreak or emerging threat.

2. Export Health Certification (EHC) - requires exporting countries to certify that goods have been produced to safe standards and have a process to monitor this via documentary checks.

3. Identity and physical checks - usually at Border Control Post (BCP), allows health officials to check goods match the health certification, identify any trends of concern in non-compliance and to sample goods for pests and disease. 

With regards to the checks of low and medium risk animal products:

- Low risk animal products – will not require a EHC and not subject to regular border checks.

- Medium risk animal products - will require an a EHC to enter GB but still have less checks at the border.

There will be a phased approach, through 3 milestones:

1. October 2023 - introduction of Export Health Certificates (EHCs) for medium risk animal products.

2. January 2024 - introduction of documentary and risk-based identity and physical checks on medium risk animal products. Medium and low risk animal products will benefit from reduced checks. Pilots for animal products trusted trader schemes will begin.

3. October 2024 - introduction of safety and security declarations for EU imports from 31 October 2024.

The government is continuing to run a series of events over the next few weeks to explain how the TOM will work and to seek feedback from stakeholder groups. The BRC is involved in stakeholder discussions and will continue to seek and share feedback from members.