In addition to following beef and veal marketing standards, you must also follow guidance for importing animals and animal products or exporting animals and animal products to the EU from 1 January 2021.

Exporting beef and veal from the UK to the EU

The UK is no longer a member of the EU and from 1 January 2021, will be classed as a third country.

The UK has applied to the EU to be a listed third country to allow exports to the EU to continue from 1 January 2021.

Exporting beef and veal from GB to the EU

If the EU lists the UK there will be no change to the process if you export beef and veal (from animals aged under 12 months at the time of slaughter) from Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) to the EU.

Moving beef and veal from GB to NI

If the EU lists the UK there will be no change to the process if you move beef and veal (from animals aged under 12 months at the time of slaughter) from GB to Northern Ireland (NI).

Exporting beef and veal from NI to the EU

There will be no change to the marketing standards requirements for exporting beef and veal from NI to the EU.

Labelling

You should continue to label beef and veal (from animals slaughtered under 12 months of age) exported to the EU after 1 January 2021, with one of the following:

• ‘age on slaughter: less than 8 months’
• ‘age on slaughter: from 8 to less than 12 months’
• category V
• category Z

Importing beef and veal to the UK from the EU

From 1 January 2021, the EU will have to tell Defra who their competent authorities are for beef and veal labelling, and provide a list of approved establishments so businesses can continue to export beef and veal (from animals slaughtered at under 12 months of age) to GB.

Details of the EU’s competent authorities and approved operators will be published when available.

Importing beef and veal to NI fom the EU

There will be no change to the marketing standards requirements for importing beef and veal from the EU to Northern Ireland (NI).

Moving beef and veal to GB from NI

There is no change to the requirements for moving beef and veal (from animals slaughtered under 12 months of age) to GB from NI.

Labelling and carcass checks

Inspections at processing plants will check imported beef and veal complies with marketing standards.

Inspections are carried out by:

• the Rural Payments Agency in England and Wales
• the Scottish Government in Scotland

Checks are carried out on unprocessed meat in businesses such as:

• abattoirs
• cutting plants
• catering butchers

Local authorities, under the authority of the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland, will continue to carry out marketing standards checks in retail businesses such as:

• supermarkets
• butchers
• farm shops

Certification

There will be no new certification rules for beef and veal imported to GB from the EU.

You’ll need to follow new general certification rules for importing animals, animal products and high-risk food and feed not of animal origin from 1 January 2021.

Importing beef and veal to the UK from non-EU countries

There will be no change to beef and veal marketing standards for imports to UK from non-EU countries.

You’ll need to follow the new notification process when importing products of animal origin (POAO) from non-EU countries.

Labelling and traceability

You should continue to follow rules on labelling and traceability for beef and veal:

• Beef and veal labelling: guidance
• Add non-compulsory information to beef and veal labelling
• Set up a traceability system for beef and veal

This guidance is subject to Parliamentary process.