Trading CITES-listed species through UK ports and airports after Brexit
Designated land, sea and air ports for trading or moving CITES-listed endangered animals or plants, or their products, if the UK leaves the EU with no deal.
The UK will continue to comply with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Your trade routes may change if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. From 29 March 2019 (may also apply to new exit date on 31 December 2020), this would mean you can only import (bring in) or export (take out) CITES goods through the designated land, sea and air ports listed in this guide.
CITES-designated points of entry or exit
If the UK leaves the EU with no deal, the following points of entry or exit will be designated for CITES trade.
Airports include:
- Belfast International
- Birmingham International
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- East Midlands
- Edinburgh
- Gatwick
- Glasgow International
- Glasgow Prestwick
- Heathrow
- Luton
- Manchester
- Southampton Eastleigh
- Stansted
Ports include:
- Felixstowe
- Harwich
- Liverpool Container Terminal (lift-on/lift-off)
- London Gateway
- Plymouth
- Poole
- Portsmouth
- Southampton
- Tilbury
Postal points of entry include:
- Coventry International Parcel Post Hub
- Heathrow International Distribution Centre
Ports not currently included as CITES-designated points of entry or exit
You will no longer be able to import or export CITES goods through certain high volume ports including:
- Dover
- Eurotunnel
- Holyhead
Gibraltar will not be included as a UK designated port for CITES trade.
CITESÂ products originating within the EU
For all CITES products that originate within the EU, you must use one of the CITES-designated points of entry or exit.
Live or temperature-controlled goods can only pass through designated points of entry or exit with the facilities or expertise to handle them. You must contact your chosen point of entry or your freight handler to check that they can handle your CITES products.
CITESÂ products originating outside the EU
For all CITES products that originate outside the EU, different animal and plant health conditions apply. You must check the following guidance and use the correct point of entry or exit.
Moving live animals and animal products
You can only import live animals or animal products from outside the EU to the UK through points of entry with Border Inspection Posts. You must also have the appropriate licence to import them.
Not all CITES-designated points of entry or exit have the facilities or expertise to handle live animals or animal products. You must check with the port or airport before you move either.
| Airport | Species |
|---|---|
| Edinburgh | dogs, cats, ferrets, lagomorphs (hares, rabbits and pika), rodents, amphibians, reptiles, fish, molluscs (and crustaceans not for human consumption) |
| Gatwick | reptiles, amphibians, fish, molluscs, crustaceans, birds and mammals except ungulates (odd-toed and even-toed mammals) and equines |
| Glasgow Prestwick | cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, wild and domestic solipeds (single hoofed mammals), registered equidae (horse family) |
| Heathrow | cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, wild and domestic solipeds (single hoofed mammals), registered equidae (horse family) and all others (including zoo animals) |
| Manchester | fish, invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians |
| Stansted | cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, wild and domestic solipeds (single hoofed mammals), registered equidae (horse family) |
Moving products of animal origin (POAO)
Before you import a POAO, you should check that the port or airport has the facilities to handle:
- products for human consumption
- products not for human consumption
- chilled or frozen goods
Ports include:
- Felixstowe
- London Gateway
- Liverpool Container Terminal (lift-on/lift-off)
- Manchester
- Southampton
- Tilbury
Airports include:
- Belfast International
- East Midlands
- Gatwick
- Heathrow
- Manchester
- Stansted
Moving food not of animal origin (FNAO)
You can move food not of animal origin (FNAO) for human consumption or animal feed through the following designated points of entry or exit for high risk foods
Airports
- East Midlands – food for human consumption only
- Gatwick
- Heathrow
- Manchester – animal feed only
- Stansted
Ports
- Felixstowe
- Liverpool Container Terminal (lift-on/lift-off) – food for human consumption only
- London Gateway
- Portsmouth
- Sheerness
- Southampton
- Tilbury
Moving controlled plants or plant products or forestry materials (FM)
The following designated ports or airports can handle the import and export of controlled plants and plant products or regulated forestry material.
Airports
- Belfast International
- Birmingham International (controlled plants or plant products only)
- Bristol (FMÂ only)
- Cardiff (FMÂ only)
- East Midlands
- Edinburgh
- Gatwick
- Glasgow International
- Glasgow Prestwick
- Heathrow
- Luton
- Manchester
- Southampton Eastleigh
- Stansted
Ports
- Felixstowe
- Harwich (FMÂ only)
- Liverpool Container Terminal (lift-on/lift-off)
- London Gateway (controlled plants or plant products only)
- Plymouth (FMÂ only)
- Poole (FMÂ only)
- Portsmouth
- Southampton
- Tilbury
Postal hubs
- Coventry International parcel post (imports only)
Moving to approved inland facilities
You may also import controlled plants and plant products or regulated forestry material through any CITES-designated ports if they are going to approved inland facilities. You must have the relevant documents to do this.
Use the relevant guidance to understand the rules:
Last updated 7 February 2019Â +Â show all updates
