23 December 2020
The following updates have been issued from Defra and might be of interest to the Government Chemist alert subscribers.
Updated Digital Food and Drink guide
Defra’s newly updated digital guide covering the key actions food and drink businesses may need to take from 1 January 2021 is available to download, alongside a range of other digital assets.
Other assets include:
A guidance video on food labelling
Social media assets
Temporary relaxation of the enforcement of rules on drivers’ hours
The Department for Transport have today published details of a temporary relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules.
Up to 30,000 workers to help reap 2021 harvest
BBC News
By Conor Macauley
Published
image copyrightGetty Images
The agriculture minister has said he expects the grace period on rules around food imports from Britain to NI to apply to up to 15 companies.
Edwin Poots was appearing before a Stormont committee for the first time since he came out of isolation after contracting Covid-19.
He and senior officials gave MLAs a detailed briefing on the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
It will take effect at the end of the Brexit transition.
At that point Northern Ireland will continue to follow EU rules on goods, including food, while the rest of the UK will not.
Movement Assistance Scheme to support agrifood traders
Support includes a dedicated helpline and means traders will not need to pay certification costs
From:
16 December 2020
New support for traders and businesses goes live today with the launch of the Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS), to help them meet new requirements for moving animals, plants and associated products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland after the transition period ends.
This includes advice to businesses through a dedicated helpline and means traders will not need to pay certification costs, which will be reimbursed by government to those certifying the products. Together, these measures will make it easier for traders to continue to move agri-food goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.