New regulations have come into force for imports into the UK from the Republic of Ireland.
The Brexit changes will require companies to make customs declarations before shipping products across the Irish Sea.
Exports of agricultural products must also be notified in advance to the UK authorities and may need to be accompanied by an export health certificate.
This additional requirement is in addition to the procedures already in place for goods exported to the EU.
Luggage that is not properly completed and submitted at least 24 hours in advance will not be allowed to board the ferry from Ireland to the UK.
However, while authorities were concerned about whether small businesses in Ireland were prepared for the changes, no major disruptions at ports are currently expected.
Physical checks on goods entering the UK from Ireland will not be introduced until later this year.
The UK remains Ireland’s most important trading partner, with more than a third of Ireland’s exports going to the UK. In 2022, Irish food and drink exports to the UK reached €5.5 billion.
Regulations were supposed to be introduced multiple times in recent years, but were repeatedly delayed because British authorities were unprepared.
Since plans to introduce restrictions were announced in August last year, government agencies in Ireland and the UK have been running a campaign to inform Irish exporters, logistics companies, ferry operators and others.
This requirement does not apply to goods moving from Ireland to Northern Ireland, although eligible goods originating in Northern Ireland will continue to have free access to the UK.
However, this regulation applies both to goods transported directly from Ireland to the UK, or indirectly to the UK via Northern Ireland.