Since August 2020, Defra has reached over 14,000 EU stakeholders through a programme of events organised by the Border and Protocol Delivery Groups (BPDGs). The approach to engagement was to reach as many businesses in the EU as possible and this was successful. We also held technical discussions with France, ahead of 1 January 2021, to pre-empt issues at the short straits and where possible resolve them before the end of the transition period. Defra also worked closely with British Embassies in EU Member States to deliver key messaging. Since 1 January Defra has had regular dialogue with British Embassies in EU Member States and Member States Embassies in London to discuss ongoing issues; and new issues as they were reported. In advance of the end of the transition period, Defra engaged the EU Commission to test the connection of UK and EU systems, in particular the TRACES (the EU certification system)—ALVS (Defra’s automatic licence verification system) link to match the new TRACES profiles for Great Britain to Northern Ireland trade. We have taken the lessons learned from the January 2021 changes to the export regime and incorporated them into our import readiness planning. Testing activities have been put in place that have validated all processes and we are modelling those processes against available data on volumes and flow through Border Control Posts (BCPs) with the Port Health Authorities (PHAs). Feasibility sessions with all stakeholders on system usage in June and July will increase stakeholder understanding and confidence with impending changes before comprehensive end to end practical testing in August. Other Government Departments, EU member states, certifiers and exporters, and GB importers are included in the testing development. 1 Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/617 4 Fourth Special Report of Session 2021–22 Since 2020, Defra has been working closely with delivery partners and industry to understand user readiness around systems. We have awareness campaigns running in GB and the EU in June and July designed to increase understanding and confidence for businesses, which will provide us sufficient metrics to gauge trader readiness, with detailed readiness campaigns running in August and September, designed to ensure user familiarity with system requirements for 1 October. Going forward Defra will use additional video and communications material to help deliver these key messages; and work closely with key groups such as the EU trade associations to amplify messaging through their channels.