A six-month push back on post-Brexit border checks has been announced to give businesses more time to prepare for new procedures.
Physical checks will now move back from July to January 2022, easing the race to build new border control posts, while health certificate requirements will be put on hold to October - having previously been due on April 1.
Cabinet Office Minister Lord Frost said it would help companies ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic to focus on "getting back on their feet".
Richard Ballantyne, chief executive of the British Ports Association which represents all of the 海角视频鈥檚 main roll-on roll-off ports at which vehicles will be subject to new checks, said:
鈥漈his is excellent news and we welcome the government鈥檚 pragmatic decision. Much of the infrastructure being built to facilitate these border controls is unlikely to be ready by July so this move enables ports to prepare better for what will be a major change in our trading relationship with Europe.
鈥淲e had asked the government to consider this extension and so are delighted that ministers have acted. This will enable our trade to continue to flow fluidly until the new facilities are complete.
鈥淥f course, there is much to do and once completed these border processes will introduce major changes at ports but this extension goes a long way to helping ports and the logistics industry get ready.鈥
The move has been welcomed by the seafood industry in particular, with real fears of getting supply into the country.
Simon Dwyer, a leading figure at Seafood Grimsby and Humber - where up to 70 per cent of the 海角视频鈥檚 imported supply is handled, said: 鈥淲e are relieved the deadline of April 1 has been pushed back six months.
"For the first 10 weeks of this year there has been a heavy focus on adjusting to the new rules since January 1 and in discussions I have been having with Norway, Iceland and Faroes who supply us with fresh and frozen fish they were not going to be ready to produce the documentation required by the British government.
鈥淲e have been very proactive in lobbying the British Government, Defra and ministers, and we are grateful they have listened to us and the rest of industry.鈥
On the Humber alone significant investment in new checkpoints is being made, with almost 拢50 million received for three sites.
Praising collaboration between Seafood Grimsby and Humber board, the Fish Merchants鈥 Association and Seafish, Mr Dwyer said: 鈥淔ish particularly fresh fish, is always time-sensitive, every day, every hour, impacts on shelf life and the value chain all the way back to the fishermen.
鈥淭he push back gives us some breathing space to find the right solutions.鈥
While the vote was in 2016, the last minute nature of the trade deal left businesses in a scenario of not knowing what to plan for, with confusion on top of the layers inflicted by businesses battling Covid and working through restrictions and measures.
Emma Leam-Saville, route agency and border compliance director at DFDS Seaways, said: 鈥淭he extension is very welcome because it would be very surprising if people and facilities were ready. It has been a real challenge.
鈥淭here is a big shortage of customs clearance agents, and being able to extend that process should help businesses overcome that and get ready for it.鈥
The Immingham-headquartered firm said there were still issues to resolve, including red tape around empty containers.
