Dutch traders who buy plants from farmers in other EU countries must ensure that many plants have pre-export certification when re-exporting them to the UK. “We are doing a lot of business with farmers from Belgium, and many of them cannot meet this requirement,” says Jacob Kolff of Kulff in Heche: “The problem is big.”
As a result of Brexit, Dutch traders are having problems re-exporting products to the UK that they buy in other EU countries. The problem has been going on for a few days now. Instead, the Dutch and British governments appear to be complacent. Naktuinbouw stated that current UK legislation indicates that pre-export certification is required for almost all products.
Governments must solve this
Naktuinbouw and NVWA both say they are not party that can change this situation. This became evident during a webinar organized by LTO’s Trees, Perennials and Summer Flowers Division on January 21. Governments in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have to solve this problem. Says Peter Verbas from NVWA.
Kolff gives the example of Belgian farmers, but he says it also applies to buying in Germany or Italy. For a number of products, farmers now have to send in a pre-export certificate. But not all companies know how to do this, and according to him, the willingness to learn this is not always the same. Kolff talks about a complex problem.
“My factories have been inspected by Naktuinbouw in the Netherlands. But they are not allowed to inspect factories from Belgium. The Belgian authorities should do that (Food Agency, ed.). But many farmers are not aware of this. Belgian farmers must send a certificate Pre-export with their products. If they don’t, Naktuinbouw will not be able to issue a vegetarian certificate for the batch. This is the case now. “
According to Kolff, the problem will last for months. What now? “I can choose from three options. Either not export, continue to provide pre-export certificates, or commit fraud. But I don’t do the latter, I will lose my registration with Naktuinbouw.”
It provides Naktuinbouw on its site more information About the situation that arose.
