Update on charging for meat official controls

Dear Stakeholders

We have subsequently updated the impact assessment (IA) to take account of the changes to the proposals that had been agreed and use the most recent data available. The IA is currently with the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) and when the RPC has indicated that it is satisfied with the IA, the policy will be referred to the Reducing Regulation Committee for consideration, and will also be considered by Ministers in the devolved administrations.

Clearance of the IA through the RPC procedure is taking longer than expected and we will not be in a position to implement the new charging arrangements with effect from April. We will now be working towards an implementation date of October 2012. This is in line with common commencement date requirements (the requirement that measures having an effect upon business should be introduced wherever possible on either 6 April or 1 October).

In order to assist food business operators (FBOs) with their financial planning we have written today to individual FBOs to advise them that from April they will be charged on the same basis as in 2011/12 with discounts provided, subject to the EU minimum charging requirements, and that they will be notified of these by the end of February as normal.

Regards

Michael Jackson
Meat Charging Project Manager
Food Standards Agency
Tel: 028 9041 7709
[email protected]