Import Permit Amendments for U.K. Trade

Summary#

This is the Order Amending Certain General Import Permits Issued Under the Export and Import Permits Act (Nos. 100, 1 and 13) (SOR/2021-72). It updates several general import permits so that goods coming from the United Kingdom under the Canada–U.K. trade continuity agreement keep the same permit exemptions as they had under CETA. The order was published in the Canada Gazette on April 14, 2021 and was signed on March 26, 2021.

What it does#

• Updates General Import Permit No. 100 to keep permit exemptions for certain beef and veal products and for certain high‑protein milk substances when those products come from a beneficiary of the Canada–U.K. trade continuity arrangement.
• Updates General Import Permit No. 1 (dairy for personal use) to preserve the same exemption for those milk protein substances when they originate in an Agreement beneficiary.
• Updates General Import Permit No. 13 (beef and veal for personal use) to preserve the same exemptions for beef and veal cuts when they originate in an Agreement beneficiary.
• These changes effectively add the U.K. (as a beneficiary under the Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom) to the list of places whose qualifying products are exempt from the permits named above.
• The order comes into force when section 16 of the Canada – United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement Implementation Act comes into force (the order does not set a specific calendar date).

Who's affected#

• Importers and distributors of beef and veal products into Canada, especially those who rely on preferential tariff treatment.
• Businesses that import certain concentrated milk protein substances (high‑protein dairy ingredients).
• Travellers bringing beef, veal or certain dairy products for personal use that fall under General Import Permit No. 1 or No. 13.
• Government officials and customs agents, including staff at Global Affairs Canada, who manage and apply import permits and trade commitments.
• It is not always clear from the text whether any other product lines are affected; the changes are focused on the specific beef and milk protein items listed in the permits.

Why it matters#

• The United Kingdom left the EU single market on January 1, 2020, so Canada and the U.K. created a transitional trade agreement to keep CETA‑style treatment between the two countries.
• These permit changes prevent trade disruption by making sure products from the U.K. continue to get the same permit exemptions and preferential access that CETA beneficiaries had. That helps importers and small businesses keep trading without new permit hurdles or unexpected costs.
• For travellers, the amendments keep the same personal‑use rules for certain beef and dairy items coming from the U.K., rather than creating a new permit requirement.