Since 1 January 2021, things have changed for our agri-food industry, particularly for importers and exporters of agri-food products. As the UK is no longer in the EU Customs Union or Single Market, they now set the import requirements for products into Great Britain.

The UK has however adopted a phased approach to the implementation these import requirements, including SPS controls. The UK Border Operations Model sets out UK Government’s approach to the administration of customs and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements.

Since 1 January 2021 EU exporters have been required to pre-notify exports to the UK authorities using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) or to avail of temporary storage at the point of import while import formalities are completed. Certain limited categories of plant and animal products, which the UK considers to be high risk (e.g. live animals, germinal products and high risk plants and plant products), also require pre-notification to UK authorities using Imports of Products, Animal, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) by the UK importer, and must be accompanied by an Export Health Certificate.

On 14 September, the UK Government revised the timelines on which it will introduce new controls on imports from the EU. These new UK import controls will impact on exporters of all products of animal origin, including all meat, dairy, fish, and composite products incorporating products of animal origin, certain animal by-products, high risk food not of animal origin as well as regulated plants and plant products.

The UK have stated that they will introduce health certification and documentary, ID, and physical checks, by commodity groups for products of animal origin, animal by-products, plant and plant products, in three phases between 1 July and 1 November 2022.

1 July, certification and physical and identity checks will be introduced for:

• All remaining regulated animal by-products.

• All regulated plants and plant products.

• All meat and meat products.

• All remaining high-risk food not of animal origin.

1 September, certification and physical checks will be introduced for all dairy products.

1 November, certification and physical checks will be introduced for all remaining regulated products of animal origin, including composite and fish products.

Live animal checks will also begin in stages incrementally moving from the point of destination to border control posts from 1 July 2022 as facilities become available and are appropriately designated.

Please note that the types of health certificate required for individual categories of products may differ and therefore consignments with different products may require a number of health certificates.

In addition to the necessary customs formalities, Irish traders exporting to, or through the UK (excluding Northern Ireland) will need to comply with a number of new UK requirements. No new procedures apply to goods moving between Ireland and Northern Ireland because of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

All businesses wishing to export to the UK (excl.NI) must be listed as an “approved establishment” on the EU TRACES system.

For further information on how to apply for an Export Health Certificate (EHC), please contact your competent authority:

If you have any queries in relation to export certification, please contact BrexitCall@agriculture.gov.ie

A range of Government supports are available, including training and grants, to help your business deal with these changes. However, you will also need to engage with your UK importer and with the UK authorities.

Click here for more information.

The requirements and procedures for exporting the following animals and commodities to Great Britain (GB) from 1 January 2021 are set down below:

On 15 December 2021, the UK Government has announced that the new UK customs and SPS import requirements which were due to apply to imports to Britain from 1 January 2022 have been postponed in respect of imports of goods from Ireland.

This announcement means that the current arrangements for importing goods to Britain from Ireland will now continue to apply after 1 January 2022 and until the UK Government provides further information. Further detail on this announcement in respect of agri-food goods, based on information provided by the UK Government, is set out below:

• The new pre-notification requirements being introduced on EU imports from 1 January 2022 for Products of Animal Origin and Animal By-Products will not apply to goods imported from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain.

• Existing requirements (introduced in January 2021) for Live Animals, Products of Animal Origin (POAO) under safeguard measures, germinal products and high risk Animal By-Products remain unchanged, i.e. imports of these goods from the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to GB and indirect movements from Northern Ireland (NI) moved via the ROI to GB, will continue to require pre-notification, to be accompanied by appropriate documentation and certification, and will continue be subject to risk-based import checks.

• Direct movements from NI to GB of NI Qualifying animal products, will continue to have unfettered access to GB

• The new pre-notification requirements being introduced on EU imports from 1 January 2022 will not apply to goods imported from the Republic of Ireland to GB.

• Existing requirements for ‘high-priority’ plants remain unchanged, i.e., imports of these goods from the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to GB and indirect movements from Northern Ireland (NI) moved via the ROI to GB, will continue to require pre-notification, to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate, and will be subject to risk-based import checks.

• Direct movements from NI to GB of NI Qualifying plants and plant products, will continue to have unfettered access to GB.

Businesses moving high risk foods not of animal origin (HRFNAO) directly from the Island of Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) into Great Britain, will also be exempt from the requirement to pre notify. This is a temporary arrangement and will be reviewed early next year.

• From 1 January 2022, all other POAO and low risk ABP moving from the Island of Ireland to continental EU countries via Great Britain are exempt from these new requirements until further notice.

• Pre-notification is not required for these consignments.

• These goods can enter and exit Great Britain through any point of entry until 30 June 2022.

• From 1 January 2022, all other POAO and ABP from continental EU countries to the island of Ireland via Great Britain will need to be pre-notified on IPAFFS at least four hours before they arrive into Great Britain.

• GB authorities will need to be informed once the consignment has left GB by emailing GBtransit-notification@defra.gov.uk with the subject line ‘confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’.

The email will need to include the following information:

– IPAFFS notification reference number

– details of means of transport

– date consignment has left GB territory

– copy of commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)

It should be noted that these changes have been postponed and not cancelled . These arrangements are temporary, and the UK government has indicated that this arrangement will continue to be kept under review.

It is therefore important for Irish exporters to maximise the use of the additional time provided by this announcement to further prepare their supply chains for these Brexit-related changes. Exporters must ensure that everyone in the supply chain, including the UK importer, is clear on their roles and responsibilities.

The UK will introduce health certification and documentary, ID, and physical checks, by commodity groups for products of animal origin, animal by-products, plant and plant products, in three phases between 1 July and 1 November 2022.

From the 1 July 2022 new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements will apply to:

• All remaining regulated animal by-products.

• All regulated plants and plant products.

• All meat and meat products.

• All remaining high-risk food not of animal origin.

These requirements are in addition to the UK (excl. NI) import requirements introduced on 1 January 2021.

From 1 July 2022 these products will require:

From 1 September, certification and physical checks will be introduced for all dairy products.

From 1 November, certification and physical checks will be introduced for all remaining regulated products of animal origin, including composite and fish products.

Please note that the type of health certificate required for individual categories of products may differ and that consignments with different products may require a number of health certificates.

No new procedures apply to goods moving between Ireland and Northern Ireland because of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Guidance on exporting to the UK (excl., NI) by commodity area is available below:

For up to date information on moving goods using the GB landbridge please click here .

The UK Government has set out its general guidance for EU businesses wishing to export goods into the UK here . This webpage will be updated as further guidance is issued by the UK authorities. The responsible UK authority is the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.