The Windsor Framework, getting Brexit undone

[Borchester]

Its a wonder we didn't all die of food poisoning before we joined the EEC isn't it ?

We nearly did, but then we started to wrap the fish and chips in copies of the Guardian and earned a brief respite.

[papasmurf]

Its a wonder we didn't all die of food poisoning before we joined the EEC isn't it ?

It came close with the horsemeat scandal, and the petroleum products in cooking all.

[Streetwalker]

There is no space to put any facilities at Dover ferryport to carry out such inspections and checks, nor are there at Plymouth.

Its a wonder we didn't all die of food poisoning before we joined the EEC isn't it ?

[papasmurf]

Our EU facing ports like dover didn't need any (and can't provide) facilties because anything coming across the channel would be fully checked and compliant already.

There is no space to put any facilities at Dover ferryport to carry out such inspections and checks, nor are there at Plymouth.

[BeElBeeBub]

And like I said, if it's not landed in the EU, it's not from the EU so will therefore be checked in the U.K. as non-EU goods.

But are we checking those.?

Pre Brexit we had facilities for checking foodstuffs from nonEU arriving directly into the EU via the UK. But this was a limited volume because most of that stuff went to the big euro ports which had the space and facilities to do so. 

Effectively we outsourced checking to other ports.

Our EU facing ports like dover didn't need any (and can't provide) facilties because anything coming across the channel would be fully checked and compliant already. 

That is no longer the case and the UK is continuing to run on the assumption that if it comes from an EU port it must be kosher, which was true and now is not always true. 

[Borchester]

Ok, Pappy is a crazy bastard but he is a crazy bastard so maybe I should leave him be for a bit

[Borchester]

I believe all post brexit trade deals must uphold core standards with food safety recognition agreements . So any food bound for the UK is safe to continue its journey to the UK unchecked

Still, just to be on the safe side, maybe we should feed the stuff to Pappy first.

And if he starts foaming at the mouth the the authorities could say well, no change there and carry on as before

[Nick]

Except nobody actually checks.
The EU don't check because it's not bound for the EU.
The UK doesn't check because it will cause huge delays.

The argument "we used to be fine not checking stuff from the EU" misses the point that all of that was either produced in the EU or had been checked for compliance on the way in, wherever that was.

Now the first category (produced in the EU) will have reasonable standards (I'm not sure if EU producers are allowed to produce to no EU standards for export), but the second category is no longer valid.

And like I said, if it's not landed in the EU, it's not from the EU so will therefore be checked in the U.K. as non-EU goods. 

[BeElBeeBub]

I believe all post brexit trade deals must uphold core standards with food safety recognition agreements . So any food bound for the UK is safe to continue its journey to the UK unchecked

Except nobody actually checks.
The EU don't check because it's not bound for the EU.
The UK doesn't check because it will cause huge delays.

The argument "we used to be fine not checking stuff from the EU" misses the point that all of that was either produced in the EU or had been checked for compliance on the way in, wherever that was. 

Now the first category (produced in the EU) will have reasonable standards (I'm not sure if EU producers are allowed to produce to no EU standards for export), but the second category is no longer valid. 

[Streetwalker]

I think the issue is food can come into the UK from an EU port (say a container from Rotterdam) without being checked by the UK (because we aren't doing checks) and not having been checked by the EU because it is transiting through the EU port and is not destined to the EU.

Previously the food would have been checked on arrival at any EU port even if the final destination was the UK because the UK was in the EU.

I believe all post brexit trade deals must uphold core standards with food safety recognition agreements . So any food bound for the UK is safe to continue its journey to the UK unchecked 

[Nick]

Because we are no longer in the EU, and for your information food from Australia, Argentina and the US is checked and inspected, and always has been.

See above. 


So why are there numerous posts by you saying you won't touch meat from Oz, Argentina or US, citing poor standards?

[Nick]

I think the issue is food can come into the UK from an EU port (say a container from Rotterdam) without being checked by the UK (because we aren't doing checks) and not having been checked by the EU because it is transiting through the EU port and is not destined to the EU.

Previously the food would have been checked on arrival at any EU port even if the final destination was the UK because the UK was in the EU.

Not sure the EU will off load food stuffs in the EU and then simply forward them to the U.K.  If they haven't been landed then they are not EU products and would therefore be checked. If they've been landed into the EU then they will have been checked. 

[papasmurf]

So as well as Australia, Argentina me the US, you're now saying EU food standards are not good enough? We never checked food from the WU before, why should we need to now?

Because we are no longer in the EU, and for your information food from Australia, Argentina and the US is checked and inspected, and always has been.

[BeElBeeBub]

So as well as Australia, Argentina and the US, you're now saying EU food standards are not good enough? We never checked food from the EU before, why should we need to now?

I think the issue is food can come into the UK from an EU port (say a container from Rotterdam) without being checked by the UK (because we aren't doing checks) and not having been checked by the EU because it is transiting through the EU port and is not destined to the EU.

Previously the food would have been checked on arrival at any EU port even if the final destination was the UK because the UK was in the EU.

[Nick]

It is clear enough, the government has supposed to have implemented import inspections on goods and food coming in from the EU.  They keep delaying doing so. But eventually they will have to which will cause delays and increase cost and inflation.
(The government has still not put in the infrastructure or staff to do it.)
In the mean time food is being imported with NO inspections which is dangerous.

So as well as Australia, Argentina and the US, you're now saying EU food standards are not good enough? We never checked food from the EU before, why should we need to now?