22 Acknowledged

Future border policy development requires structured, transparent stakeholder consultation from the outset.

Recommendation
Future border policy development must include structured, transparent, and iterative consultation with stakeholders from the outset to ensure policies are workable and informed by the sector. (Conclusion, Paragraph 40)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, agreeing on the vitality of communicating timelines for decision-making and delivery during the BTOM to UK-EU SPS Agreement transition, and will communicate with industry after negotiations begin, but does not detail a process for structured, transparent, and iterative consultation.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government Acknowledged
The Government accepts this recommendation. We agree with the committee that it is vital to ensure timelines for decision making and delivery are communicated throughout the transition from the BTOM to the UK-EU SPS Agreement in order that businesses throughout the import process can plan for the change. It is crucial that those impacted are kept appraised of the timeline with as much notice as possible to support businesses, maintain trade and protect the biosecurity of the UK, with minimum disruption. As mentioned above, we anticipate negotiations will begin later in the Autumn and we will communicate with industry following that.
Timeline
Recommendation age 0.7 yr
Report published 15 Sep 2025