GETTING IT RIGHT AT THE BORDER
New import controls were implemented on 30th April 2024.
Making sure you understand exactly where your goods need to enter Great Britain (GB) and what you need to do if your goods are transiting via GB will help you get it right at the border. Find out how to reduce unnecessary delays to your goods and ensure your consignment isn’t called in for an inspection at a border control post (BCP) when you don’t need one.
Contact points for consignments held at a BCP
If you receive a notification about a consignment or load that has been called for checks or has been held at the Border Control Post at the port of entry and you have questions about this, contact the Port Health Authority (PHA) at your nominated BCP and provide them with the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) import reference number. Defra is working closely with all PHAs to ensure that they are able to respond to your queries.
Find your PHA contact details at your nominated BCP on this map.
Contact points for urgent border target operating model (BTOM) queries
Any urgent BTOM/import queries for plants and plant products across England and Wales should be directed to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), by email, in the first instance: phsi-importers@apha.gov.uk
Alternatively, you can contact them by telephone: +44 (0) 3000 200 301
Any urgent BTOM/import queries for animal products should be directed to the Port Health Authority (PHA) at your nominated Border Control Post (BCP).
Find your PHA contact details at your nominated BCP on this map.
If you need technical help with IPAFFS you should call the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) helpline on 0330 041 6999 or email APHAServiceDesk@apha.gov.uk
Don’t be delayed – learn how to avoid a ‘no match’
Watch this step-by-step video on how to avoid a ‘no match’ in IPAFFS which could cause delays to your consignment. Defra and HMRC cross-check information provided by importers in their Part I CHED and customs declaration to ensure the CHED reference and commodity code are consistent. Any mismatches between this data will result in consignments being directed to a BCP for further checks.
Importing low risk fish, composite products and products of animal origin
In general, low risk products of animal origin (POAO) goods must be produced in an establishment approved to export animal products to Great Britain (GB).
For low risk composite products the POAO components must be processed in an establishment approved to export animal products to GB, however if the processing of the POAO happens prior to the location where the composite product is produced the establishment where the composite product is produced does not necessarily require approval.
Wild caught fish (low risk) caught by UK vessels and landed in EU ports for export to GB must move through an approved establishment. If fish/fishery products are not moving through an approved establishment they would need to be transported using the health certificate GBHC402.
Clarification of the risk categorisation of shelf-stable fishery products associated with histamine
This information clarifies the risk categorisation of shelf-stable fishery products from species associated with histamine (species of the families Scombridae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae, Coryfenidae, Pomatomidae or Scombresosidae). Please note that this is not a change to any risk categorisations and we will shortly update all relevant gov.uk pages.
All imports of fishery products of the species susceptible to histamine formation are placed in the BTOM medium risk category, irrespective of origin or whether they are shelf-stable, meaning import controls (EHCS and ID/physical checks) apply.
However, Defra do recognise that due to exceptional circumstances some EU traders will need time to adapt following this clarification. They will be ordinarily expecting importers to provide an EHC; however, PHAs will allow a three-month period (until 15 August 2024) of flexibility for importers of EU origin shelf-stable fishery products associated with histamine and permit entry without an EHC if traders are unable to obtain a certificate (usual commercial documents will still be required). This flexibility does not extend to non-EU products and products originating from non-EU countries that have been imported into the EU: these products require an EHC.
Make sure that your goods arrive in GB via an appropriately designated BCP
If you are importing animal products from the EU or Rest of World, the consignments must now enter GB at a point of entry with an appropriately designated BCP. Except for goods moving directly from the Republic of Ireland which must enter England or Scotland through a point of entry with a relevant BCP, or through Heysham, and goods from Ireland can enter Wales through any named point of entry.
The BCP location declared in the CHED must be the location that the consignment first enters GB. You cannot select a BCP location in your CHED notification and have your consignment first enter GB at a different location.
BCP entry and exit requirements for landbridge transit movements
Unless they are arriving in Great Britain (GB) from Ireland, or exiting GB to Ireland, all landbridge transit consignments must enter and exit GB at a point of entry with the relevant border control post (BCP).
All consignments of animal products transiting GB and arriving in England and Scotland from Ireland must enter and exit at a point of entry with the relevant BCP, or Heysham. All animal product consignments arriving in Wales from Ireland can enter at any point of entry but must exit Great Britain at a point of entry with the relevant BCP.
All consignments of animal products transiting Great Britain from the EU for destination in Ireland must enter GB at a point of entry with the relevant BCP, they must leave England or Scotland at a point of exit with a relevant BCP, or Heysham, and can leave Wales through any point of exit.
The process for landbridge transits from non-EU countries has not changed, consignments of animal products must enter and exit Great Britain through a point of entry and exit with the relevant BCP.
Completing CHEDs for landbridge transits from the EU
If you’re moving animal products from the EU to another country and transiting through Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), known as ‘landbridge’ movements, you must ensure that when completing your common health entry document (CHED) you have entered:
- An exit BCP that is different to the BCP you enter from, for example, you cannot enter Killingholme as the entry and exit BCP.
- An exit date and time that is after your entry date and time.
Please make sure your container or trailer number is correct at point of submission, if it changes let both Port Health Authorities (PHAs) know.
It is the responsibility of the operator responsible for the consignment to ensure the details on the CHED are correct at the time of submitting.
Tell authorities that transiting goods from the EU have left Great Britain (GB)
You must tell authorities in Great Britain when consignments transiting GB from the EU have left GB. To do this for transits of germinal products, animal by products (ABP), and POAO, email the port health authority email address for your exit BCP. If your consignment leaves GB via the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel the exit email should be sent to Ashford PHA at the Sevington BCP.
If your consignment’s destination is Ireland and it exits at a port without a BCP please send this email to your entry BCP.
For emails confirming a consignment has left GB, use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’. The email needs to include:
- the import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS) notification reference number
- details of the means of transport
- the date the consignment left GB
- a copy of the commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)
Stay informed about the latest Port Health news by registering at: https://www.porthealth.uk/contact/
