Dear All,
Detailed below is the Weekly News for 13th December.
Given recent developments I have reiterated some of the government messaging on COVID-19 and with changes in the New Year EU, exit guidance.
Here is the latest government announcement.
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Gordon Polson – Chief Executive
Barclays Economic Update:UK GDP Growth to be 6.9% in 2021
According to the latest Confederation of British Industry (CBI) economic forecast, UK gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate is expected to be 6.9% in 2021, 5.15 in 2022 and 3.05 in 2023.
As per the long-term outlook, business investment is expected to increase in 2022 to reach above the pre-covid levels. however, it is anticipated to decrease again from mid-2023, with the overall annual position falling below pre-covid levels.
Household spending is expected to increase by 7.6% in 2022 and 3.1%$ in 2023, driven by an increase in real income and employment strengthening in coming years. CPI inflation is expected to increase at over 5.2% in apr’22, driven by combined effects from 2020, which include the increase in Ofgem’s energy price cap, higher fuel prices and supply chain pressures.
Covid Update: The Prime Minister’s full statement can be read here and the accompanying slides are available here.
Please see a summary of the changes:
From Friday 10 December, the legal requirement to wear a face mask will be extended in England to most indoor public venues, such as cinemas and theatres but excluding hospitality. There will be exemptions for activities such as eating, drinking and exercising.
COVID-19 Stakeholders Toolkit
Please find here this week’s COVID-19 Stakeholder Toolkit which contain vital messages regarding this past week’s announcement.
Get in touch with us if you need more information, with questions or comments, via cv19-externalaffairs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
The aim of this survey is to collect up-to-date, accurate and representative data on the current state of the labour market in key sectors of the UK economy. To ensure that survey findings remain up-to-date this survey is sent out weekly and we ask that you continue to complete it each week. It should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. This week’s survey will run from Friday 10 December (today) until Thursday 16 December.
Your contributions to this survey are highly valued and will directly inform assessments of the supply of labour. Findings will be used to brief senior officials and Ministers. We encourage you to continue flagging any key concerns to support decision making.
Due to the sensitivity of this data this survey is completely anonymous and we will not be sharing the raw data outside of central government. Any presentation or use of the data will only be across government.
The Food Standards Agency has published a consultation – closing 14 March – on the provision of precautionary allergen labelling and precautionary allergen information, such as “may contain” on many types of food sold in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
FDF Events: Looking ahead to 2022 we already have some exciting in-person events planned for March, including our FDF Innovation Gateway Breakfast Launch taking place on 8 March at FDF’s London Office, which is free to attend for both members and non-members.
Following that we have the Food and Drink Industry Dinner at the iconic Guildhall in London on 10 March. The Industry Dinner brings together over 500 guests to celebrate our success as an industry in an evening of great food, networking and entertainment. Early bird tickets are available now, register here.
The annual FDF Convention returns to The National Gallery on 22 March. The FDF Convention is the place to be to hear about the big issues affecting the Food and Drink Industry. More details for this event will be announced in the new year. Early bird tickets are on sale now, register here.
We also have a range of training courses taking place over January – March including GSCOP, Negotiation, SPS Export and Import, Finding and using Tariff Codes, and How to Access Zero Tariffs from a Free Trade Agreement. See below for more details on these courses.
Don’t forget nominations to the FDF Awards 2022 are open until 28 February! It’s completely free to enter our awards so make sure you take a look at the wide range of award categories here.
We also have a range of training courses taking place over January – March including GSCOP, Negotiation, SPS Export and Import, Finding and using Tariff Codes, and How to Access Zero Tariffs from a Free Trade Agreement. See below for more details on these courses.
Don’t forget nominations to the FDF Awards 2022 are open until 28 February! It’s completely free to enter our awards so make sure you take a look at the wide range of award categories here.
British Nutrition Foundation (BNF)Healthy Eating Week is back in 2022! And next year will be extra special as we will be celebrating the week’s 10th anniversary! Put 13-17 June in your diary and you can register to participate and get the latest updates on plans for the week HERE.
From 1 January 2022, businesses importing products of animal origin, animal by-products and high risk foods not of animal origin (HRFNAO) must pre-notify consignments at least four hours in advance of arriving into Great Britain. The pre-notification must be made via the Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS).
To help you get ready for these new requirements we have incorporated key information you need into the attached document. Please take the time to read and understand the actions needed to continue importing from the EU into GB from 1 January 2022. Additionally, you can refer to the Border Operating Model for further information.
Key information and guidance is available on our microsite and on the Gov.uk webpages. If you cannot find the information you need, please contact: traders@defra.gov.uk.
Following a review of High-Risk Food Not of Animal Origin (HRFNAO) legislation, changes were made to Regulation 2019/1793 which came into effect on 23 November 2021. The key changes include:
There is further information available in the updated HRFNAO guidance on the trader showcase site.
EU EXIT Links and reminders
Information about how to contact Defra, including where to find answers to common queries, is available on gov.uk.
Watch videos, sign up for email alerts and register for free webinars to learn more about UK transition here.
The Plant Health Export Service (PHES) is live to all exporters of used farm machinery, plants, plant products and plant produce, including traders on the Plant health exports audited trader scheme (PHEATS).
Guidance material on how to register and create notifications on the Plant Health Export Service is available on the Plant Health Portal. Please contact the APHA service desk for help to register or speak to your APHA plant health and seed inspector if you have further questions. For exports from Scotland, please continue with existing procedures, or for more information contact hort.marketing@gov.scot
The online Trader Showcase can be accessed by using the links below:
The new Trader Showcase site works with most modern browsers, but is best viewed using Chrome, Firefox, Safari and the latest two versions of Edge
