Changes to import controls for fresh fruit and vegetables

by S. C.

Importers of fresh fruit and vegetables from countries outside the EU will benefit from deregulation coming in to force from 20 July 2010. New procedures mean that importers and enforcement services in England and Wales will be able to meet regulatory obligations with minimal impact to the industry. The changes introduced by Defra, via the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate (HMI), are the final phase of EC reforms that began to come into effect in July 2009.

The latest improvements will:
- enable the HMI to make random inspections of just one per cent of goods subject to the General Marketing Standard (GMS) passing through the HMI PEACH system;
- allow eligible firms to self certify their imports for Customs clearance of Specific Marketing Standards (SMS) goods through the Approved Trader Status scheme (ATS);
- improve risk selection of produce for inspection control; and
- use clearer and more informative forms.

Under EU rules, products covered by the General Marketing Standard (GMS) must be subject to a risk-assessed inspection. To minimise the impact on industry, the HMI will check one per cent of all GMS imports, using a system that targets companies with poorer compliance records. Importers will be informed if their goods are selected for random inspection when they apply for each consignment.

These initiatives follow consultation and collaboration with fruit and vegetable importers who will benefit from a simplified and more rational system.