Policy paper

Letter to Iceland on technical barriers to trade and sanitary provisions (online version)

Published 12 April 2019

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letters-to-iceland-and-norway-on-technical-barriers-to-trade-and-sanitary-provisions/letter-to-iceland-on-technical-barriers-to-trade-and-sanitary-provisions

From:

Crawford Falconer
Second Permanent Secretary
Department for International Trade
3 Whitehall Place
Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AW

To:

Mr Sturla Sigurjónsson
Permanent Secretary of State
Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland

2 April 2019

Dear Mr Sturla Sigurjónsson,

The Trade in Goods Agreement between the United Kingdom, Iceland and Norway, continues preferential trade in goods arrangements once the Trade-Related Agreements between the European Union and third countries cease to apply to the United Kingdom. It is intended to come into effect if we leave the European Union without a deal.

In addition to the Trade in Goods Agreement, it is the United Kingdom’s intention to treat imports from Norway and Iceland no less favourably than imports from the European Union, for a time-limited period. This is to ensure as much continuity of arrangements for trade in goods as possible between the United Kingdom and Iceland and the United Kingdom and Norway.

The United Kingdom recognises the relationship between Iceland, Norway and the European Union through the EEA Agreement, and will, as far as possible, work towards future trading arrangements with Norway and Iceland that take this into account.

Technical barriers to trade

From day one of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, in accordance with published UK Technical Notices and related guidance[footnote 1] , certain goods[footnote 2] can continue to be placed on the UK market for a time-limited period, where they:

  • bear the appropriate EU conformity marking (such as the CE marking)
  • are accompanied by an EU declaration or attestation of conformity in English; and
  • have been assessed and approved by an EU-recognised body (which include recognised bodies based in Iceland or Norway), if third party assessment is required.

The United Kingdom’s expectation is, that Iceland and Norway will replicate European Union treatment of goods from the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom will endeavour to work towards future arrangements for regulatory cooperation, such as the mutual recognition of conformity assessment, with Iceland and Norway, with the aim of bringing these into effect as soon as possible.

Sanitary matters

Taking into account that our respective food safety systems provide the same level of protection on the day the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, from day one of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union the United Kingdom will:

  • accept imports from establishments that are approved for their respective exports to the European Union:
  • endeavour not to require sanitary certificates in relation to its trade with Norway and/or Iceland where. these were not previously required; and
  • not subject landings of fresh fish from Norway or Iceland to veterinary import checks.

If food safety or veterinary import checks are required, such checks will be carried out. as expeditiously as possible; in particular the United Kingdom will:

  • make every effort to avoid any deterioration of perishable goods; ·
  • not detain goods pending test results, unless there is a known or perceived risk of non-compliance;
  • notify non-compliance to the person responsible for the consignment; and
  • in the case of serious or repetitive non-compliance, notify the competent authority of the exporting country.

The United Kingdom, Iceland and Norway will communicate any changes to existing and future processes.

The United Kingdom will endeavour to work towards future arrangements with Iceland and Norway, in the interests of frictionless trade as far as possible in .food safety and veterinary import requirements.

Yours sincerely,

Crawford Falconer

  1. The United Kingdom draws the attention of Iceland and Norway to the United Kingdom’s Technical Notice on Trading goods regulated under the ‘New Approach’ if there’s no Brexit deal, published on 13 September 2018 and in particular the section Implications. ↩

  2. The following goods are covered by separate UK technical notices and guidance which explain what the requirements would be for continuing to place these goods on the UK market: automotive, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, construction products, chemicals, and goods subject to national regulations (e.g. furniture, textiles). ↩

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