Brexit red tape costs hit food firms
BBCDevon sausage makers and fish traders have spoken about their Brexit frustrations as ministers weigh up closer alignment with EU food rules to cut red tape.
Since leaving the EU, some exporters say extra paperwork, delays and rising costs are hitting their business with Europe.
Charles Baughan, managing director of Westaway Sausages in Newton Abbot, said the extra burden had cost his business £250,000 so far.
Ministers say closer alignment could ease friction and are proposing "dynamic alignment" whereby the UK would automatically adopt the relevant EU regulation into its law on an ongoing basis and a deal could be in place within the next few years.
Baughan said: "A health certificate has to be signed in 46 places and on 14 pages and it requires an official veterinarian to come in and to validate this and to sign it off, stamp it and then that goes with the paperwork.
"This is about £600 worth of added paperwork but it's also the risk. What happens when the paperwork goes wrong or is incorrect in some detail is a huge risk. You can have an entire shipment completely destroyed by the customs at Calais."
In Brixham, fish merchant Ian Perkes said: "It's time consuming for the paperwork, both ends here and in Calais, irrespective of where one sends fish.
"So there's delays at the Channel Tunnel. There's delays at this end. The market takes a little longer. We have to pay a penalty to the health authorities if we cannot get our health certificate printed and done by 1pm."
'Import and export'
Jayne Kirkham, Labour MP Truro and Falmouth and a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, said progress was being made towards closer alignment.
"We simply have to be able to import and export, it has damaged our economy and has damaged our farmers," she said.
Discussions could move quickly, she said, with a deal potentially happening in 2027.
