There has been an exponential increase in the paperwork required when importing second hand machinery from Great Britain into Northern Ireland, according to a Co. Down dealer.
Thomas Osborne, from the Co. Down machinery dealership, James Osborne and Son. explained: “As a business, we have been importing second-hand farm machinery from Great Britain into Northern Ireland for fifty years.
“Throughout this period we have always guaranteed that all the items coming in are completely free of soil and other contaminants.
“However, three weeks ago, the full measures linked to the implementation of the post-Brexit trading arrangements were brought in.
“This now means that we have to spend long hours getting certificates and other documents in order, linked to each individual machinery item that we bring in.
Thomas outlined the impact of the new measures on cross-border machinery trade.
“All of this is making it almost impossible for the business to function. At one level, it is adding significantly to the administration work that we need to carry out,” he said.
“But more importantly, it is switching off many of the machinery dealers in Great Britain that we do business with. They don’t want the extra hassle of formally registering to do business with customers in Northern Ireland.
“They also need to generate the export certificates that accompany machinery lines that are sent to Northern Ireland. All of this putting more of an administrative burden and cost on their businesses.”
Second-hand farm machinery
James Osborne and Son imports approximately 200 items of machinery from Great Britain on an annual basis.
This activity is a core driver for the business every week of the year.
Thomas Osborne told Agriland: “I have written to every MP and Stormont MLA on this matter. All we want is a return to the way it was.
“Guaranteeing that every machine brought in is totally free of soil and other contaminants should be sufficient to meet all sanitary and phytosanitary standards.”
Meanwhile, Strangford constituency MP, Jim Shannon, has written to Northern Ireland’s Secretary of State, Hillary Benn, on these matters.
Osborne said: “The Secretary of State has referenced the establishment of a new sanitary and phytosanitary agreement between the UK and the EU as being a way of resolving most of the problems that we now face.
“But we have no idea when these new measures might be introduced.
“In the meantime, our business is having to cope with new regulations that make no sense at all.”
