UK proposes to phase in new Irish Sea border checks on food products - BBC

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain is proposing to phase in new Irish Sea border checks on food products in four stages from October, the BBC reported, citing a document London has shared with the European Union on implementing the Brexit deal.

After the United Kingdom left the European Union's single market at the start of this year, checks and tariffs were introduced on some goods moving from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland as the province now borders the bloc via EU member Ireland.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had promised there would be no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland as result of Brexit, and unfettered trade between the province and the rest of the United Kingdom would continue.

So Britain in March unilaterally extended a grace period on certain checks to minimise supply disruption, a move Brussels said breached the Brexit divorce deal.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden)