New Regulations For Animal Products Incoming

Import rules for animals and animal products from the EU will be changing from January 31st.  New import risk categories and rules will be coming in that apply to all imports from the EU and EFTA in line with the government’s Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).

The new import model, which will extend to most non-EU countries from April 30, introduces three import risk categories; low, medium, and high, with their own unique regulations. To ensure importers comply with the new regulations, Atlantic Pacific recommend checking which risk category your product falls under, which can be found here.

Composite products will be either categorised as low risk or will be uncategorised, meaning they do not require official import controls.

Importers and their agents must use IPAFFS to notify UK authorities in advance importing live animals, germinal products, animal by-products (ABP), high-risk food and feed not of animal origin (HRFNAO), products of animal origin (POAO), composite food products, plants and plant products.

A rough guide to the new risk categories:

Low Risk – No health certificate is required, and no physical checks will be conducted. However, a commercial document from the supplier is required and from April 30th.

Medium Risk – A health certificate is required and products may also be subject to documentary, identity, and physical import checks.

High Risk – A health certificate is required and most shipments will be subject to physical checks.

The risk categories may be subject to change before and after the new procedures are introduced and Atlantic Pacific will be monitoring the situation closely. For further information, please do not hesitate to contact our specialist Food department.