Import food and drink from the EU to Great Britain

This guidance applies to businesses in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) that import or move food and drink from the EU and Northern Ireland to Great Britain. This includes food and drink under safeguard measures.measures. 

Food‘Food and drinkdrink’ in this guidance specifically means food and drink products of animal origin (POAO) for human consumption. Examples include:include: 

• meatmeat 
• fisheggs 
• eggsdairy 
• dairyhoney 
• honeygelatine 
• gelatine

FoodYou andneed drinkto underfollow safeguarddifferent measuresguidance areto POAO that are banned or have import restrictions because of a disease outbreak or public health issue.move: 

You

• fish needfor tohuman followconsumption 
• animal differentby-products guidancenot iffor you’rehuman importingconsumption or(ABP) moving:
  from the EU 
  • composite products from the EU and Northern Ireland to Great Britain – – composite products contain processed processed POAO and and plant products that are integral to the final product, such as lasagnelasagne 
  • POAO from non-EU countries  

  FindPOAO outinvolved morein informationa aboutdisease importingoutbreak fromor thepublic EU.

  Phasedhealth importissue controlsare forbanned POAO

  Greator Britainhave isimport phasingrestrictions. inImporters controlsmust onfollow imports of POAO from the EU.

  Importguidance controlsfor apply to:

  • POAO under safeguard measures.

    Check fromwhat 1documents Januaryyou 2021

  • mostneed 

    Imports otherof POAO frommay 1need:  

    • a Januaryhealth 2022certificate 
    • an import licence 

    Movements from Northern Ireland to Great Britain

    YouEvery canimport moveof POAO fromwill Northernneed Irelanda tocommercial Great Britain if they’re qualifying Northern Ireland goods.document. 

    Check

    Health what documents you need

    certificates 

    You may need a health certificate to import import POAO under under safeguard measures from the EU. The EU exporter must:must: 

    • apply for the export health certificate (EHC) in their own country – competent authorities should use use model health certificates to to create versions that exporters can apply forfor 
    • give you an electronic copy to upload to the the import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS)  

    The original certificate (not a copy) must travel with the consignment.consignment. 

    If there’s no health certificate for your product you may need an import licence or commercial document.authorisation.  

    You should contact the the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) if if you’re moving moving POAO under under safeguard measures from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.

    Import licencelicences 

    You may need an import licence or authorisation to import your food and drink product from the EU if there’s no health certificate for your product.product. 

    In some cases, you may need an import licence as well as a health certificate.certificate. 

    Check the list of of general licences to to see if the licence you need already exists, and what you should do if it’s not on the list.list. 

    Commercial documentdocuments 

    YouYour shouldimport checkof withPOAO themust EUhave exporter if the product you’re importing needs a commercial document. IfYour itexporter does, they must complete it.this. 

    The commercial document must include:include the: 

    • detailsdescription of what’s in the consignmentconsignment, for example ‘cooked meat’, and volume or quantity information, or a copy of the food label 
    • the name of the person or organisation who sent itit 
    • the name of the person or organisation it’s being sent toto 
    • address of the premises of origin 
    • address of the destination premises 
    • reference identifying the lot, batch or consignment 
    • date the consignment was sent 
    • name and address of the transporter and details on how the consignment will be transported 

    The document must travel with the consignment.

    Notify authoritiesAPHA in Great Britain about your your POAO import import 

    You must submit an import notification on on IPAFFS to to notify authoritiesAPHA in Great Britain about your import of:

    • of POAO, underexcept safeguard measures from the EURepublic fromof 1Ireland, Januaryat 2021least –one youworking mustday submit the import notification 24 hours before yourit import arrives
    • most otherat POAO from EU countries except the Republicpoint of Ireland from 1 January 2022
    entry. 

    Add information about the business you’re importing fromfrom 

    You need to add information to to IPAFFS about about the business you’re importing from, if it’s coming from:from: 

    • the EU 
    • Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Iceland 
    • Norway 
    • Switzerland 
    • Liechtenstein 
    • San Marino, Faroes or GreenlandMarino 
    • Faroes  
    • Greenland 

    Follow these steps to add the approved business:business: 

    1. Sign in or register to use use IPAFFS.. 
    2. On the ‘Traders addresses’ page, select ‘Add a place of origin’, then select ‘Create a new place of origin’.origin’. 
    3. In the ‘Place of origin name’ field, enter the full name of the exporting business, then its authorisation number.number. 
    4. In the ‘Place of origin’ fields, enter the full address, telephone number, country and email address for the business.business. 
    5. Save these details – they will be saved to your address book so that you can use them again.again. 
    6. Add the approved business to your import notification.notification. 

    Submit an import notification for imports of POAO under safeguard measures

    When you submit your import notification in IPAFFS, you’ll get a unique notification number (UNN) for the product. The format of this number will be IMP.GB.2021.1XXXXXX.IMP.GB.2021.1XXXXXX. 

    You must give the the UNN to to the EU exporter or official veterinarianvet (OV).). 

    The exporter or or OV must must add the the UNN to to the health certificate and give you a copy.copy. 

    You must then go back into into IPAFFS and and attach the health certificate copy to your import notification.

    Import notifications if there’s a new or emerging disease outbreakoutbreak 

    If safeguard measures are in place because of a new or emerging disease and there is no commodity code for your food or drink, you should:should: 

    1. Download and fill in the import notification form for for POAO under under safeguard measures. IV70.Email Sendit the IV70 form to the Centre for International Trade – Carlisle (APHA CIT) imports team at APHAGBimports@apha.gov.uk. Use the email subject: ‘URGENT – – POAO SAFEGUARDING  SAFEGUARDING UNN REQUIRED’. REQUIRED’. 

    2. APHA CIT will give you a a UNN. Give this to the EU exporter or or OV to to add to the health certificate.certificate. 
    3. The EU exporter will give you an electronic copy of the health certificate.certificate. 
    4. Email the completed IV70form and health certificate to to APHA CIT at at APHAGBimports@apha.gov.uk. Include the the UNN in in the email subject heading. For example: ‘IMPORT NOTIFICATION – – POAO UNDER UNDER SAFEGUARD MEASURES IMP.GB.2021.2000001’.IMP.GB.2021.2000001’. 
    5. APHA CIT will will email you withan the updated form with the the UNN and and the health certificate.certificate. 

    If you need help with import notificationsnotifications 

    You can call the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) helpline on 03300 416 999, or email email APHAServiceDesk@apha.gov.uk. 

    Movements from Northern Ireland to Great Britain 

    You can move POAO from Northern Ireland to Great Britain if they’re qualifying Northern Ireland goods.

    IfImport youfood needand helpdrink from 31 January 2024 

    ContactFrom 31 January 2024, food and drink from the EU will be categorised into high, medium and low risk categories under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).  

    To import food and drink from the EU, you’ll need to follow the current process to notify APHA’s.  

    For Centremedium forBTOM Internationalrisk Trade,imports, Carlisleyou’ll need to get a health certificate from the EU exporter if you’reone is available. You may need an official importer declaration for certain products – the health certificate will tell you when you need one. You may also need an import licence or authorisation.  

    Random sample documentary checks on medium BTOM risk animal products from the EU, Iceland, Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein will be introduced between January and April 2024. Goods subject to these checks will not surebe held for inspection or charged extra fees. 

    For low BTOM risk imports, you’ll need a commercial document. You may also need an import licence or authorisation.  

    Read more about anything.importing food and drink under the Border Target Operating Model. 

    IfImport youfood needand helpdrink withfrom your30 customsApril declaration2024 

    YouFrom can30 callApril the2024, HMRCnew helplinechecks at the border on 0300medium 322BTOM 9434,risk Mondaygoods tofrom Fridaythe 8amEU towill 10pm,be introduced. All medium and Saturdaylow toBTOM Sundayrisk 8amgoods tomust 4pm.enter via a point of entry that has the relevant border control post.  

    If you need help 

    Contact APHA’s imports team if you’re not sure about anything. 

    If you need help with your customs declaration 

    Contact HMRC for help.