EU import rules ‘not fit for purpose’, says British food industry

Policy advisor Peter Hardwick says fresh meat product regulations were designed for long-distance trade and should not apply to the North

Peter Hardwick: These rules were designed for long-distance trade with countries on the other side of the world, but they make no sense when the UK is geographically so close to the EU. Picture: Getty

The EU’s stringent regulations around rules of origin and veterinary health certs for food imports are “not fit for purpose” for just-in-time supply chains, a British food industry representative has said.

Peter Hardwick, the trade policy advisor for the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), told the Business Post that the Northern Ireland protocol and the EU’s rules on food imports do not make sense when it comes to moving certain fresh goods.

“These rules were ...