04/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/29/2024 17:05
How to import animals and animal products to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man from non-EU countries.
This guidance applies to businesses in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) that import or move live animals, animal products and high risk food and feed of non-animal origin (HRFNAO) from non-EU countries to Great Britain.
You should follow different rules for personal imports of animals and animal products into Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).
You should check the current topical issues, such as diseases, that would affect your import.
Live animals, germinal products, animal by-products not intended for human consumption (ABP) and products of animal origin (POAO) from non-EU countries are categorised as low, medium or high risk under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). HRFNAO is not included in the risk categorisation under the BTOM.
You can only bring live animals, POAO and ABP into Great Britain from approved non-EU countries.
Some animals and animal products must also come from establishments approved to export to Great Britain.
You need a health certificate, sometimes called an official certificate, for medium and high risk imports. For medium or high risk animals and products you need an export health certificate (EHC) or importer declaration where one is available. Competent authorities should use model health certificates to create versions that exporters can apply for.
For low risk imports of ABP and POAO you need a commercial document. The goods must meet the relevant import conditions to be considered low risk.
The commercial document must be from the supplier and travel with your consignment.
Suppliers can use the template commercial document for imports of ABP.
In some cases, you may also need:
Read guidance below specific to your import to find out more about what documents you need.
For medium or high risk animals and products, if there is no export health certificate (EHC) or importer declaration for your goods, you need an import licence or authorisation.
For some low risk ABP and POAO products, a specific licence or authorisation may also be required prior to import.
Check the list of general licences to see if the licence you need already exists.
You must follow the conditions in the licence and check your licence to see if it must also travel with the consignment.
If the licence you need does not exist, you must either:
You do not need any licences, authorisations or permits for HRFNAO imports.
You will need official documents if you import HRFNAO under emergency controls:
You will need:
You must provide full laboratory analyses for HRFNAO products to screen for various contaminants. The screening process and what to screen for depends on your product.
Laboratory analyses from the competent authority where the sample was tested are valid for 6 months. They must be accompanied by an official certificate.
The EU exporter must:
The certificate is valid for 4 months. The original certificate (not a copy) must travel with the consignment.
The commercial document for your HRFNAO will usually be from the haulage company or its airway bill. It should include the:
The document must travel with the consignment.
Read more about importing HRFNAO under the Border Target Operating Model.
You need to use IPAFFS to notify a BCP before importing:
You must do this at least one working day before your goods are expected to arrive at the point of entry.
There are checks at the border on medium and high risk consignments imported from non-EU countries.
Low risk consignments imported from non-EU countries must enter through a BCP, but they may not have physical or identity checks.
You must import your animals or animal products through a point of entry which has the relevant border control point for the animals or animal products in your shipment.
You must pay a fee to have your consignment checked at a BCP. Find the fees for checks on live animals at a BCP or contact the product BCP you plan to use for information on the fees you'll be charged.
You may also have to pay a common user charge. The common user charge applies to commercial movements of animal products, plants and plant products through the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.
Official veterinarians or inspectors at the BCP may check the consignment. This may also include a physical check.
The result of the check will be recorded on IPAFFS and officials will give you a completed and validated common health entry document (CHED).
You must not remove your consignment from the BCP or customs clearance area until official inspectors have completed and validated the CHED.
After your consignment leaves the BCP, you must:
'Channelling' is where an ABP consignment must be moved directly from the point of entry to the approved point of destination. All precautions, including safe disposal of waste, must be taken to avoid risks of spreading diseases to animals or humans.
The recipient must tell APHA within one day of the goods arriving at the destination.
For low risk goods, the import risk summary table will tell you if your import needs channelling.
The following medium risk ABPs are subject to channelling:
Untreated blood and blood products require channelling if all the following is true:
Untreated blood products from animals other than Suidae, Tayassuidae and Equidae require channelling if they come from countries or regions where:
Untreated blood products from Suidae and Tayassuidae animals require channelling if they come from countries or regions where:
You must make sure you meet animal welfare standards when transporting live animals.
You need to check if your import is on the list of endangered species covered by CITES. If your import is on the CITES list, you may need to apply for a CITES permit before importing.
You need to follow different rules, known as the Balai Directive, if you're importing display, laboratory and research animals, including those used in conservation or education programmes.
Read guidance about moving live animals and animal products from one country to another and transiting Great Britain, known as 'landbridge' movements.
There are different requirements to import live animals, germinal products, ABP and POAO if they start their journey in a non-EU country then travel through the EU on their way to Great Britain.
Imports of HRFNAO have specific import conditions on entry into Great Britain and must always follow the rules for imports from non-EU countries, even if they transit the EU.
Read guidance below specific to your import to find out more about the requirements.
Normally, equines (horses and donkeys) imported or moved to Great Britain from a non-EU country need to enter Great Britain through a BCP, unless they come from Norway or Northern Ireland.
If they have passed animal health inspections at a recognised EU BCP then they do not need to enter Great Britain through a BCP.
Read guidance about the EU's digital certification and management platform (TRACES).
If you cannot prove that the equines you're importing have passed an animal health inspection at an EU BCP, they must enter through a point of entry with the relevant approved BCP.
An APHA veterinary officer will inspect an equine and relevant documentation again if APHA:
Live animals, germinal products and ABP subject to veterinary checks that originate in a non-EU country and travel through the EU before arriving in Great Britain do not need to enter Great Britain at an established point of entry with the relevant authorised BCP if they meet all the following requirements:
If the goods have not met these requirements, then they must:
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 to import food and drink (POAO) from the EU to Great Britain.
Other consignments of POAO from non-EU countries must:
Contact the APHA Animal imports team for help.
The page has been updated with information about changes to imports in line with the Border Target Operating Model. Structural changes have also been made throughout the page to clarify the guidance.
Added information about imports of live animals and animal products which transit the EU.
There are new fees for BCP checks in England and Scotland from 1 July 2023. Updated the link to find the new 'fees for checks on live animals at a BCP'.
Updated with new dates for the introduction of controls on equines imported or moved to Great Britain from a country other than an EU Member State, Norway or Northern Ireland, via the EU, Norway or Northern Ireland.
Updated with new dates for when equines do not need to enter Great Britain through a Border Control Post (BCP) provided they meet certain health and identity requirements.
Content added on health and identity requirements for equines.
Updated with guidance on how to comply with rules from 1 January 2021.
Updated to explain that importers should use IPAFFS instead of TRACES to notify BCPs of live animal imports.
Changed new import system users will need from TRACES to IPAFFS.
Explained new processes for Live animal notifications and Animal products notifications.
Highlighted the link to guidance about how importers should prepare for Brexit.
Updated to include link to EU Exit guidance
Replaced the link to UK border inspection posts on the EU website with a link to UK border inspection posts on GOV.UK in the section Finding the right Border Inspection Post.
BIP fees updated
Updated contact details links to the European Commission.
Change of address for Centre for International Trade Carlisle.
General review and update to clarify guidance in some sections including commercial imports, notifying the BIP
Added a link to the form to request updates on changes to rules on imports of animals and animal products.
Updated guidance under the general licences heading.
AHVLA documents have been re-assigned to the new Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
First published.