Hops marketed in the EU (including the UK) must meet rules on marketing standards. This includes hops extracts, hop cones and ground, pellets or powdered hops cones.

To show that they meet these standards, imports to the UK:

• from non-EU (third) countries, must have an Attestation of Equivalence
• from the EU, must have an EU hops certificate

Inspections

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) inspects at least 5% of hops imports from each non-EU country. The UK does not currently inspect imports of hops from the EU.

Certificates

Hops produced in the UK are issued with EU hops certificates from hops certification centres. With some exceptions, the certificates are needed for:

• marketing hops in the EU (including the UK)
• exporting hops

Hops produced in the UK from 1 January 2021

Certification centres will still issue hops certificates for hops produced in the UK from 1 January 2021.

UK hops certification centres must remove all EU branding (including references to the EU and the EU emblem) from certificates from 1 January 2021. The form of the certificate and the process for getting a certificate will not change.

Importing hops to the UK from 1 January 2021

Hops imported into the UK must be accompanied by one of the following as evidence that they meet UK marketing standards:

• the new UK Attestation of Equivalence issued by an authorised third country agency
• EU Attestation of Equivalence issued by an authorised third country agency (can be used until 31 October 2021)
• EU certificate for hops imported from the EU (can be used until 31 October 2021) – this must comply with EU rules and can be issued by a body authorised by an EU member state

Any authorised agency listed in Annex I of EC Regulation 1295/2008 can issue UK or EU Attestations of Equivalence.

UK Attestation of Equivalence

After 31 October 2021, all hop imports from the EU and other third countries must be accompanied by a new UK Attestation of Equivalence. This must be issued by an authorised third country agency. A list of these agencies will be published on GOV.UK from 1 January 2021. Agencies currently registered with the EU will be registered with the UK when the UK leaves the EU.

The UK may stop accepting EU Attestations of Equivalence and EU certificates before 31 October 2021 if EU marketing standards for hops do not meet UK standards.

Inspections

RPA must inspect 5% of hops imported from the EU from 1 January 2021. These checks will take place inland. This is the same as the inspection process for imports of hops from non-EU countries.

Exporting hops to the EU from 1 January 2021

There may be a period during which the UK cannot export hops to the EU from 1 January 2021.

This is because the EU only accepts imports of hops accompanied by an EU Attestation of Equivalence, issued by an authorised agency in the exporting third country.

The UK government intends to apply to the EU to list RPA as the UK agency authorised to issue Attestations of Equivalence. RPA will not be able to issue Attestations of Equivalence until the listing with the EU is complete.

Further details will be published on this page when they are available. However, you must first enrol with RPA to export hops from 1 January 2021.

How to apply for an EU Attestation of Equivalence

You must enrol your email and address with RPA before you can apply for an EU Attestation of Equivalence.

Further information will be published on this page once RPA is listed as an agency authorised to issue Attestations of Equivalence. RPA cannot accept applications before it is listed with the EU.

Labelling rules

If you export hops and hops products to the EU from 1 January 2021, you must include the following information on each unit of packaging:

• description of the product
• variety or varieties
• country of origin
• marks and numbers indicated in section 9 of the Attestation of Equivalence or the extract

Exporting hops to third countries via the EU

Hops consignments will need an Attestation of Equivalence and any documents requested by the third country if they:

• are destined for a non-EU (third) country
• will transit through the EU
• are not entered into EU transit procedures (and will be released for free circulation in the EU)

Exporting hops to non-EU countries from 1 January 2021

There will be no changes to the process of exporting hops from the UK directly to non-EU countries.

Some non-EU countries may require an export certificate for each consignment. You should check with the individual country that you are exporting to, what the rules are.