Friday 19 Apr 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (April 29): Full post-Brexit sanitary and phytosanitary border checks were due to be implemented in July, but the date has been pushed back for the fourth time.

In a report on Thursday (April 28), global shipping, maritime and offshore marine news portal Seatrade Maritime News said that the border controls will not come into force this year, and the UK government is targeting the end of 2023 for an overhauled border check system.

It said sanitary and phytosanitary inspections are carried out on plants and animals to protect animal, plant and public health, but the government said delaying enforcement would save trade cost of £1 billion (about RM5.44 billion) at a time of rising cost of living in the UK.

It said UK ports had invested in infrastructure ahead of the July deadline and are now concerned that their investment in border control posts will be for nothing.

Tim Morris, the chief executive officer of UK Major Ports Group, said: “Many ports have been working incredibly hard and have invested over £100 million of their own money to build a network of brand new border checks to meet the requirements the government has been insisting on for several years.

“This now looks like wasted time, effort and money to develop what we fear will be highly bespoke white elephants,” he added.

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