Change description : 2021-12-17 15:03:00: Guidance updated to show change in rules from 1 January 2022 for imports from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain. [Brexit]
Transiting animals and animal products through Great Britain
Rules to follow if you’re moving animals or animal products from one third country to another third country and transiting Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), known as ‘landbridge’ movements.
This guidance covers the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for EU goods moving from:
the EU to Great Britain to the EU
the EU to Great Britain to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland to Great Britain to the EU
Live animals
Live animals transiting through Great Britain must:
be pre-notified on TRACESIPAFFS (Import of products, animals, food and feed system)
have an Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC) created in TRACES (Trade Control and Export System)
You do not need a Great Britain transit health certificate.
You must attach a copy of the ITAHC to the IPAFFS notification. IPAFFS pre-notification will not replace your intra EU movement on TRACES.
High health status horses moving between France and the Republic of Ireland will travel on a DOCOM (created in TRACES).
Animals can enter and exit Great Britain through any port with no identity or physical inspections carried out at entry or exit to Great Britain.
APHAwillcarryoutremotedocumentarychecks.
You must email APHA at APHAGBimports@apha.gov.ukImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk to confirm that the consignment has left Great Britain territory,territory. withUse the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’.
The email needs to include the following information:
IPAFFS notification reference number
details of means of transport
date the consignment has left Great Britain territory
copy of commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)
vehicle approval certificates from the relevant bodies in Great Britain or Northern Ireland
You need an EU and UK journey log if you’re moving cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or unregistered horses for trade:
from Great Britain to the EU
from the EU to Great Britain
if your journey is more than 8 hours
You cannot use EU-issued documents (which includes Republic of Ireland) in Great Britain.
To apply for a transporter authorisation from APHA, (Animal and Plant Health Agency), the transporter must be represented in Great Britain. For more information contact:
The maximum permitted journey time varies by species and life stage. A consignment of animals may need to be rested for 24 hours. There are approved control posts where animals can be unloaded.
Germinal products and POAO (products of animal origin) subject to safeguard measures
Germinal products or POAO subject to safeguard measures transiting through Great Britain must:
You do not need a Great Britain transit health certificate.
You must attach a copy of the ITAHC to the IPAFFS notification. IPAFFS pre-notification will not replace your intra EU movement on TRACES.
Goods can enter and exit Great Britain through any port with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.
You must email APHA at APHAGBimports@apha.gov.ukImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk to confirm that the consignment has left Great Britain territory,territory. withUse the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’.
The email needs to include the following information:
IPAFFS notification reference number
details of means of transport
date consignment has left Great Britain territory
copy of commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)
High risk ABPanimal by-products only (Category 1 and 2 material and Category 3 Processed Animal Protein)
High risk ABP (animal by-products) transiting through Great Britain must:
You must attach a copy of the DOCOM to the IPAFFS notification.
IPAFFS pre-notification will not replace your intra EU movement on TRACES.
Goods can enter and exit Great Britain through any port with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.
You must email APHA at APHAGBimports@apha.gov.ukImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk to confirm that the consignment has left Great Britain territory,territory. withUse the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’.
Products
The withemail noneeds requirementsforEUto Greatinclude Britainthe tofollowing EUtransitsfromJanuary2021toJanuary2022.
EU to Great Britain to EU transits from 1 January 2022
POAO not subject to safeguard measures and low risk ABP
From 1 January 2022, all other POAO notand subjectABP from the EU to safeguardthe measuresRepublic andof lowIreland riskor ABPNorthern transitingIreland throughvia Great Britain mustwill need to be pre-notified on IPAFFS at least 24 hours before they arrive into Great Britain.
You will also need to inform authorities in Great Britain once the consignment has left Great Britain by emailing GBtransit-notification@defra.gov.uk. Use the subject line ‘confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’.
YouYour email must notifyinclude Defrathe whenfollowing information:
IPAFFS notification reference number
details of means of transport
date the consignment leaveshas left Great Britain.Britain territory
copy of commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)
GoodsThese goods can enter and exit Great Britain through any portpoint withof noentry physicaluntil or30 IDJune checks2022.
From on1 entryJanuary or2022, exit.all other POAO and low risk ABP moving from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to EU countries via Great Britain do not need to be pre-notified.
EU to Great Britain to EU transits from July 2022
Guidance on transits from the EU to Great Britain to EU from July 2022 will be available in spring 2022.
EU to Great Britain to non-EU countries transits
The SPS requirements you must meet for EU goods moving from the EU to Great Britain to non-EU countries will depend on the products you’re sending.
Live animals
Live animals transiting through Great Britain must:
You must notifyattach Defraa whencopy of the consignmentITAHC leavesto Greatthe Britain.IPAFFS notification. IPAFFS pre-notification will not replace your intra EU movement on TRACES.
High health status horses moving between France and the Republic of Ireland will travel on a DOCOM (created in TRACES).
Animals can enter and exit Great Britain through any port withoutwith anyno identity or physical inspections.inspections carried out at entry or exit to Great Britain.
You must email APHA at ImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk to confirm that the consignment has left Great Britain territory. Use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’.
The email needs to include the following information:
IPAFFS notification reference number
details of means of transport
date the consignment has left Great Britain territory
copy of commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)
The maximum permitted journey time varies by species and life stage. A consignment of animals may need to be rested for 24 hours. There are approved control posts where animals can be unloaded.
Germinal products and POAO subject to safeguard measures
Germinal products or POAO subject to safeguard measures transiting through Great Britain must:
You must notify Defra when the consignment leaves Great Britain.Britain, by emailing GBtransit-notification@defra.gov.uk. Use the subject line ‘confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’.
Goods can enter and exit Great Britain through any port with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.
Products with no requirements for EU to Great Britain to non-EU transits until 1 January 2022.2022
There are no requirements for transit across Great Britain for POAO not subject to safeguard measures.
No notification is required and the goods can enter and exit Great Britain through any port, with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.
EU to Great Britain to non-EU countries transits from January 2022
POAO not subject to safeguard measures and ABP
POAO not subject to safeguard measures and low risk ABP transiting through Great Britain must be pre-notified on IPAFFS.
Imports from non-EU countries to Great Britain that travel through the EU
This guidance covers the requirements for imports of live animals, germinal products and ABP, that originate in a non-EU country and transit the EU before being imported into Great Britain.
Live animals, germinal products and ABP
Live animals, germinal products and ABP subject to veterinary checks that originate in a non-EU country and transit EU territory before arriving in Great Britain do not need to enter Great Britain at an established point of entry with an authorised BCP if:
the goods have a Great Britain health certificate certified in the third country of origin
a Great Britain importer has pre-notified on IPAFFS at least one working day before the expected time of arrival at the point of entry
you can show proof of a successful health inspection -– you can upload the CHED to the IPAFFS notification
On IPAFFS,IPAFFS, select the EU member state the goods are travelling from as the ‘country of origin’.
If the goods have not met these criteria then they must:
be pre-notifedpre-notified on IPAFFS at least one working day before the expected time of arrival at the point of entry – select the non-EU country the consignment originated from as the ‘country of origin’
HRFNAO from a non-EU country that transit the EU before import into Great Britain will need to enter Great Britain through an established point of entry with an authorised BCP for those HRFNAO goods.
HRFNAO must:
be pre-notified on IPAFFS at least one working day in advance of the goods’ arrival -– select the non-EU country the consignment originated from as the ‘country of origin’
Consignments of POAO originating from a non-EU country, transiting EU territory, before being imported to Great Britain must enter Great Britain at an established point of entry with an authorised BCP.BCP.
Check if your product must be imported through a point of entry with an authorised BCP by looking for the CN code for the product in regulation 2019/2007.
POAO must:
be pre-notified using IPAFFS at least one working day in advance of arrival -– select the non-EU country the consignment originated from as the ‘country of origin’
If your consignment of POAO has undergone full animal and public health checks and has been cleared for circulation on the EU market, follow the guidance for importing POAO to Great Britain from the EUEU.
Published 18 December 2020
Last updated 2317 SeptemberDecember 2021
+ show all updates
17 December 2021
Added a 'If you need help with your customs declaration' section to the bottom of the page.
23 September 2021
Updated the guidance with new dates for the introduction of controls on transit goods.
20 April 2021
Removed references to unique notification numbers (UNN) for health certificates as they do not apply to imports from non-EU countries transiting the EU to Great Britain.
1 April 2021
Updated to reflect the new timetable for the introduction of the next stage of UK import requirements for transit goods.
31 December 2020
Added the email address for receiving countries to notify APHA when a consignment has left GB.