The Charges for Residues Surveillance Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2026: final business & regulatory impact assessment (BRIA)
The final BRIA considers the potential impacts of above Regulations, which updates fees in Scotland required to be paid in relation to surveillance of animals and animal products for residues of veterinary medicinal products and other substances.
Section 5: Scottish Government Compliance with UK regulatory alignment and EU Standards
5.1 Alignment of proposals with the Internal Market Act and Intra-UK Trade
The proposed policy change is not expected to have any negative impact on current trade or export agreements, including any cross-border movements of animal products across the UK. The changes to fees required to be paid in relation to the NRCP were adopted in Wales and England earlier this year, thus adopting these changes would prevent divergence between UK nations.
5.2 Alignment of proposals with EU on standards and access to (trading) markets
Under EU law, Article 79 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 requires competent authorities to collect fees or charges for certain official controls, including those carried out in slaughterhouses, cutting plants, game-processing plants, on milk production and on the production and placing on the market of fishery and aquaculture products. There is discretion for fees to either be charged at the amounts provided in Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2017/625 or on a cost recovery basis calculated in accordance with Article 82(1).
The amendments in this instrument to the Charges for Residues Surveillance Regulations 2026 continue the existing approach of charging fees on a cost recovery basis as would be available under EU law.
These measures will not create any barriers to trade with the European Union.
Contact
Email: animal.health@gov.scot