BREXIT changes recap for food business operators

The Brexit transition period has officially come to an end at 23.00 GMT, 31 December 2020, marking the completion of the intricate process begun with the historical referendum of 2016. Forty-eight years after it joined the EU, the United Kingdom is no longer a Member state of the European Union and is no longer subject to European Union laws. This comes with some serious consequences for all sectors, and food labelling is no exception.

Directly applicable EU legislation has been mostly converted into British legislation, with some acts being changed by means of statutory instruments. The changes are mainly practical in nature, deriving not from provisions being modified or added, but rather from adjustments of the previous framework, necessary given the different status of the UK and its relationship with the EU.

Also, no changes are required to products which had already been placed on the market, either in the EU or in the UK, before 1 January 2021. They can continue to circulate, and re-labelling is not needed.

On the UK side, a grace period has been provided for with regard to many obligations. In general, it applies till 30 September 2022, with the enforcement of the new rules due to begin — in the UK — only on 1 October 2022. While the above is applicable to EU products intended to be marketed in the UK…