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Exporting to the UK from Ireland
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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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 the 28 of April 2022 the UK government announced that the remaining import controls, which were due to come into place on 1 July, 1 September and 1 November will no longer be introduced this year. Goods will continue to move from the EU to Great Britain as they do now
Specifically, the following controls which were planned for introduction from July 2022 will now not be introduced:
• A requirement for further Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks on EU imports currently at destination to be moved to Border Control Post (BCP).
• A requirement for safety and security declarations on EU imports.
• A requirement for further health certification and SPS checks for EU imports.
• Prohibitions and restrictions on the import of chilled meats from the EU
The UK have indicated that they will publish a Target Operating Model in the Autumn 2022. This Target Operating Model will set out the new regime of border import controls and will target the end of 2023 as the revised introduction date for the control’s.
The controls that have already been introduced will remain in place.
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.
• 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.
On the 28 of April 2022 the UK government announced that the remaining import controls, which were due to come into place on 1 July, 1 September and 1 November will no longer be introduced this year. Goods will continue to move from the EU to Great Britain as they do now
Specifically, the following controls which were planned for introduction from July 2022 will now not be introduced:
• A requirement for further Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks on EU imports currently at destination to be moved to Border Control Post (BCP).
• A requirement for safety and security declarations on EU imports.
• A requirement for further health certification and SPS checks for EU imports.
• Prohibitions and restrictions on the import of chilled meats from the EU
The UK have indicated that they will publish a Target Operating Model in the Autumn 2022. This Target Operating Model will set out the new regime of border import controls and will target the end of 2023 as the revised introduction date for the control’s.
The controls that have already been introduced will remain in place.
If you have any queries in relation to export certification, please contact BrexitCall@agriculture.gov.ie
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.
Watch our latest Brexit webinars and presentations on our YouTube video series:
Registration with the Department to import or export
Further details for registering with the Department are available here .
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