Hatching Chickens and Eggs 2021 UK Guidance

by
Agriculture & FoodUK Post-Exit Guidance Notes [2020]

Importing hatching eggs and chicks to the UK from the EU

There will be no change to marketing standards requirements for imported EU hatching eggs and chicks for one year from 1 January 2021.

Exporting hatching eggs and chicks from the UK to the EU

If you’re exporting hatching eggs and chicks, there will be some changes to the information you need to include with your exports.

Marking individual hatching eggs

Individual hatching eggs will need to be printed with the:

This text should be printed in type at least 3mm high.

The EU may not accept UK exports of hatching eggs not marked with this information.

Breeding establishment approval number

You must mark individual hatching eggs with their breeding establishment approval number to comply with Export Health Certificate guidance. You must meet this requirement to receive an Export Health Certificate.

Country of origin

Although there’s no specific requirement to use the UK’s ISO code on individual hatching eggs, the UK government recommends that you use one of the following:

  • GB
  • United Kingdom
  • UNITED KINGDOM
  • UK

If you mark the following with a hatchery number that contains ‘UK’, you may not need to mark the country of origin separately:

  • hatching eggs
  • packs of eggs
  • chick boxes

Marking packs of hatching eggs

Packs of hatching eggs must show the:

  • country of origin, use ‘GB’, ‘United Kingdom’, ‘UNITED KINGDOM’ or ‘UK’
  • word ‘hatching’ in English or one of the languages specified in article 3(8) of Regulation 617/2008
  • poultry species the eggs come from
  • name and address of the sender or business

Exporting chicks from the UK to the EU

The EU will only accept exports of chicks that are from the same sender and country of origin.

Chicks must be packed by species, type and category of poultry. Packs must contain only a single species, category and type of poultry from the same establishment.

Boxes of chicks should be marked with the:

  • country of origin, use GB, United Kingdom, ‘UNITED KINGDOM’ or UK
  • poultry species
  • name and address of the sender or business

Your packaging information should be marked using:

  • indelible black ink
  • letters or figures at least 20mm high and 10mm wide, drawn 1mm thick

The EU may not accept UK exports of hatching eggs and chicks not packed in this way and marked with this information. Your exports may be delayed or rejected at an EU border.

Documentation accompanying hatching eggs and chicks will also change. Where your current documentation lists ‘producer code’, this should be replaced by ‘country of origin’.

Customs checks

There may be extra customs checks carried out on your products. Hatching eggs and chicks, along with all products of animal origin (POAO), should enter the EU via a Border Control Post (BCP). BCPs were previously known as Border Inspection Posts (BIP).

The guide Exporting animals, animal products, fish and fishery products from 1 January 2021 explains the customs changes from January 2021.

Exporting hatching eggs and chicks from the UK to non-EU countries

Hatching eggs and chicks for export to non-EU (third) countries may need to meet different requirements. You should check the import requirements of the country you’re exporting to.

Exporting hatching eggs and chicks to non-EU (third) countries via the EU

For consignments destined for non-EU countries that pass through the EU, read Exporting animals, animal products, fish and fishery products from 1 January 2021.