- Government delays full introduction of digital certificates intended to cut paperwork for producers
- The trial of a digital system designed to simplify the paperwork required for fish exports after Brexit is ending without an immediate replacement, causing concern in the salmon industry.
- The pilot scheme, which aimed to digitise the paper health certificates needed for all fish and chilled food exported to Europe, was expected to save traders time and up to £3m in post-Brexit paperwork.
- However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has told companies involved in the scheme that it will end without mentioning a replacement.
- The salmon industry had welcomed electronic certification as a means of reducing paperwork since Brexit.
- The industry is urging the government to act quickly, given the impact of the extra paperwork and potential delays on perishable foods.
Source The Guardian
