UK Beef TRQ and Import Permits

Summary#

The Order Amending the Import Control List (2026-2): SOR/2026-156 restores import-permit requirements for most fresh, chilled or frozen beef and veal from the United Kingdom so Canada can run a UK‑specific tariff‑rate quota (TRQ) negotiated under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans‑Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The change takes effect on the day Bill C-13 (the act implementing the UK’s CPTPP accession) comes into force, or on the day the order is registered if that is later.

What it does#

• Removes the exemption that let some UK beef and veal skip import controls. That means certain UK-origin beef and veal are again “controlled goods” under the Export and Import Permits Act, and importers may need permits.
• Allows Global Affairs Canada to issue shipment-specific import permits so it can operate a UK-specific CPTPP TRQ for beef and veal, set at up to 13,000 metric tonnes when fully implemented.
• Changes the lists and permit schedules (the Import Control List, General Import Permit No. 100 — Eligible Agriculture Goods (GIP 100), and General Import Permit No. 13 — Beef and Veal for Personal Use (GIP 13)) to remove the current UK exemptions.
• Keeps in place the existing Canada–UK trade rules under the Canada–UK Trade Continuity Agreement (CUKTCA), so some imports that meet that agreement’s stricter origin rules can still come in duty-free and without a shipment-specific permit by citing GIP 100.
• Confirms permit application fees for shipment-specific permits will remain in their current range (between $10 and $31 per shipment).

Who's affected#

• Importers who bring fresh, chilled or frozen beef and veal from the United Kingdom into Canada.
• Beef and veal exporters and processors in Canada, who gain reciprocal access under the CPTPP.
• Small businesses that choose to use the new CPTPP TRQ may face the modest permit steps and fees.
• Global Affairs Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which will administer and check permits at the border.
• If it’s unclear who will be affected: the government expects most importers to keep using the CUKTCA route (no new permit), so the number of businesses actually using the CPTPP permits is expected to be low.

Why it matters#

• It lets Canada meet its international commitment to the UK under the CPTPP and operate the negotiated UK‑specific beef and veal quota (13,000 metric tonnes). That delivers the market access Canada secured for its exporters.
• For importers who use the CPTPP quota, it adds a small administrative step (a digital permit application) and a small fee ($10–$31 per shipment). The government estimates the overall extra administrative cost nationwide is modest (about $1,299 annualized).
• It restores the government’s ability to track and manage imports under the CPTPP TRQ. That helps prevent quota over‑use and supports predictable, rules-based trade.
• For most buyers and consumers, the change is unlikely to cause immediate price or supply shifts because duty-free, quota-free access under the CUKTCA remains available for products that meet its stricter origin rules.