A border control post is being prepared for goods coming from the EU into Scotland through Northern Ireland.
The Scottish Government set out the plan at Holyrood for a site at Cairnryan in Dumfries and Galloway.
It was described as a consequence of Brexit and means there will be checks on goods such as animals, fish, plants and food between different parts of the United Kingdom.
SNP government minister Michael Russell said most Scots did not vote for Brexit.
“In these circumstances it is a practical, common sense and timely action to provides additional planning certainty while detailed proposals are developed and a site for this post is selected,” he added.
“Time is of the essence. I have twice written to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to press for a decision on the need for this post, but it was only in January that the UK Government confirmed checks would be required on non-qualifying Northern Ireland Goods at Cairnryan.”
Russell said he is waiting to hear whether HM Revenue and Customs would the site for their responsibilities.
A Special Development Order (SDO) was lodged in the Scottish Parliament to ensure planning permission is in place for the infrastructure.
The Scottish Government said it pressed ahead because the terms of the Brexit deal negotiated by the UK Government mean goods entering from the EU are subject to the same border entry requirement and controls as goods from the rest of the world.
The Cairnryan post is goods arriving from the Republic of Ireland and other EU states through Northern Ireland.
The government said 2.59 million tonnes of freight entered the ports at Cairnryan and Lochryan in 2019, equal to approximately 400,000 freight movements.
