Adapt your logistics chain to the BTOM

First of all, it is important to realise that lead times for UK certificate-pending veterinary and phytosanitary cargo will never be the same as before Brexit. A last-minute order in the morning that hits the ferry in the afternoon really is a thing of the past. Requesting and performing an inspection required for a certificate in the Netherlands simply takes time. Always keep this in mind. Inform yourself in good time about the lead time of the relevant inspection authority from the application to the execution of an inspection.

The UK has announced that from 30 April 2024, it will start checking high-risk and medium-risk cargo 100% and randomly at Border Control Posts (BCPs) at the port of arrival, respectively. For groupage transport in particular, this may necessitate new logistics choices. Combining low-, medium- and/or high-risk products in one trailer may lead to unpleasant situations. When a medium- and/or high-risk product is selected for inspection, the low-risk cargo also comes to a standstill. Therefore, as a logistics service provider and exporter, make timely and sound agreements on how best to organise the logistics chain from 30 April 2024.

Under strict conditions, the UK wants to offer companies the opportunity to become a Trusted Trader (veterinary cargo) or Authorised Operator (phytosanitary cargo). One of the main advantages is that any inspections of medium- and high-risk cargo can then take place at the point of arrival. A visit to a BCP at the port – with all the risk of delays – is not necessary in that case. Prior to a broad roll-out, the UK is first conducting pilots for both Trusted Trader and Authorised Operator. You can read more in the Border Target Operating Model. For both simplifications, one of the conditions is that you have your own branch in the UK.