Transit GB 2021 UK Guidance

GuidanceTransiting animals and animal products through Great Britain
Rules to follow if you’re moving animals or animal products from one third country to another third country and transiting Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), known as ‘landbridge’ movements.
Published 18 December 2020
From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

New rules for January 2021
The UK has left the EU, and the transition period after Brexit comes to an end this year.

This page tells you what you’ll need to do from 1 January 2021. It will be updated if anything changes.

Check what else you need to do during the transition period.
Applies to:
Northern Ireland
Contents
EU to GB to EU transits from January 2021
EU to GB to EU transits from April 2021
EU to GB to EU transits from July 2021
EU to GB to non-EU countries transits from January 2021
EU to GB to non-EU countries transits from April 2021
EU to GB to non-EU countries transits from July 2021
Transits from non-EU countries
Imports from non-EU countries to GB that travel through the EU
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Requirements for landbridge transits moving between EU countries or NI will be introduced in 3 stages:

January to July 2021
April 2021
July 2021 onwards
EU to GB to EU transits from January 2021
This guidance covers the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for EU goods moving:

from EU to GB to EU
from EU to GB to Northern Ireland (NI)
from NI to GB to EU
Live animals
To transit live animals through GB they must:

be pre-notified on TRACES
have an Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC)
High health status horses moving between France and the Republic of Ireland will travel on a DOCOM (created in TRACES).

Animals can enter and exit GB through any port with no identity or physical inspections carried out at entry or exit to GB.

APHA will carry out remote documentary checks.

The EU member state receiving the goods must email APHA to confirm that the consignment has left GB territory. The email address to use will be added to this page as soon as it is available.

You must follow animal welfare requirements for animals transiting GB.

All live animals will need:

transporter authorisation issued by APHA
certificates of competence
vehicle approval certificates from the relevant bodies in GB or Northern Ireland
You need an EU and UK journey log if you’re moving cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or unregistered horses for trade:

from GB to the EU
from the EU to GB
if your journey is more than 8 hours
You can no longer use EU issued documents (which includes Republic of Ireland) in GB from 1 January 2021.

To apply for a transporter authorisation from APHA, the transporter must be represented in GB. For more information contact:

APHA in GB: CITCarlisle@apha.gov.uk
DAERA in NI:https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/contact
The maximum permitted journey time varies by species and life stage. A consignment of animals may need to be rested for 24 hours. There are approved control posts where animals can be unloaded.

Germinal products and POAO subject to safeguard measures
To transit germinal products through GB they must:

be pre-notified on TRACES
have an ITAHC
Goods can enter and exit GB through any port with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.

The EU member state receiving the goods must email APHA to confirm that the consignment has left GB territory.

High risk ABP only (Category 1 and 2 material and Category 3 Processed Animal Protein)
To transit high risk ABP through GB they must:

be pre-notified on TRACES
have a DOCOM
Goods can enter and exit GB through any port with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.

The EU member state receiving the goods must email APHA to confirm that the consignment has left GB territory.

Products with no requirements for EU to GB to EU transits from January to April 2021
There are no requirements for transit across GB for POAO not subject to safeguard measures.

No notification is required and the goods can enter and exit GB through any port, with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.

Products with no requirements for EU to GB to EU transits from January to July 2021
There are no requirements for transit across GB for:

low risk APB
regulated plants and plant products
No notification is required and the goods can enter and exit GB through any port, with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.

EU to GB to EU transits from April 2021
POAO not subject to safeguard measures
To transit POAO not subject to safeguard measures they must:

be pre-notified on IPAFFS
have a GB health certificate
Goods can enter and exit GB through any port with no physical or ID checks on entry or exit.

EU to GB to EU transits from July 2021
Guidance on transits from the EU to GB to EU from July 2021 be available in spring 2021.

EU to GB to non-EU countries transits from January 2021
The SPS requirements you must meet for EU goods moving from the EU to GB to non-EU countries will depend on the products you’re sending.

Live animals
Live animals must:

be pre-notified on IPAFFS at least one working day before the expected time of arrival at the point of entry
have a GB health certificate
You’ll need to give the EU exporter or official veterinarian (OV) the unique notification number (UNN) produced by IPAFFS when you pre-notify APHA about the transit.

Your exporter must add the UNN to the health certificate.

Animals can enter and exit GB through any port without any identity or physical inspections.

You must follow animal welfare requirements for animals transiting GB.

All live animals will need:

from GB to the EU
from the EU to GB
if your journey is more than 8 hours
You can no longer use EU issued documents (which includes the Republic of Ireland) in GB from 1 January 2021.

To apply for a transporter authorisation from APHA, you must be represented in GB. For more information contact:

Germinal products and POAO subject to safeguard measures
To transit germinal products they must:

be pre-notified on IPAFFS
have a GB health certificate
You’ll need to give the EU exporter or OV the unique notification number (UNN) that is produced on IPAFFS when you pre-notify APHA of the import. The EU exporter must add the UNN to the health certificate.

Goods can enter and exit GB through any port with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.

High risk ABP only – (Category 1 and 2 material and Category 3 Processed Animal Protein)
To transit high risk ABP they must:

be pre-notified on IPAFFS
have a commercial document
Goods can enter and exit GB through any port with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.

Products with no requirements for EU to GB to non-EU transits from January to April 2021
There are no requirements for transit across GB for POAO not subject to safeguard measures.

No notification is required and the goods can enter and exit GB through any port, with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.

Products with no requirements for EU to GB to non-EU transits from January to July 2021
There are no requirements for transit across GB for:

low risk APB
regulated plants and plant products
No notification is required and the goods can enter and exit GB through any port, with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.

EU to GB to non-EU countries transits from April 2021
POAO not subject to safeguard measures
To transit POAO subject to safeguard measures they must:

be pre-notified on IPAFFS
have a GB health certificate
Goods can enter and exit GB through any port with no physical or ID checks required on entry or exit.

You’ll need to give the EU exporter or OV the unique notification number (UNN) that is produced on IPAFFS when you pre-notify APHA of the import. The EU exporter must add the UNN to the health certificate.

EU to GB to non-EU countries transits from July 2021
Guidance on transits from EU to GB to non-EU countries from July 2021 will be available in spring 2021.

Transits from non-EU countries
You’ll need to meet specific requirements for SPS goods transiting:

from a non-EU country to GB to a non-EU country
from a non-EU country to GB to the EU
POAO, ABP and germinal products
To transit PoAO, ABP and germinal products from a non-EU country through GB they must:

be pre-notified on IPAFFS at least one working day before your consignment is due to arrive
have a GB health certificate
The goods must enter and exit GB at an appropriate BCP for documentary and identity checks. Physical checks are only carried out in cases of suspected non-compliance.

Live animals
To transit live animals they must:

be pre-notified on IPAFFS at least one working day before your consignment is due to arrive
have a GB health certificate
The goods must enter GB at an appropriate BCP for document, ID and physical checks.

You must follow animal welfare requirements for animals transiting GB.

Imports from non-EU countries to GB that travel through the EU
Requirements for imports of live animals, germinal products and ABP, that originate in a third country and transit the EU before being imported into GB, will be introduced in 2 stages:

January to July 2021
July 2021 onwards
Live animals, germinal products and ABP
Live animals, germinal products and ABP subject to veterinary checks that originate in a non-EU country and transit EU territory before arriving in GB do not need to enter GB at a BCP if:

the goods have a GB health certificate certified in the third country of origin
a GB importer has pre-notified on IPAFFS at least one working day before the expected time of arrival at the point of entry
you can show proof of a successful health inspection – you can upload the CHED to the IPAFFS notification
On IPAFFS, select the EU member state the goods are travelling from as the ‘country of origin’.

You’ll need to give the EU exporter or OV the unique notification number (UNN) produced by IPAFFS when you pre-notify APHA about the transit. The exporter must add the UNN to the health certificate

If the goods have not met these criteria then they must:

be pre-notifed on IPAFFS at least one working day before the expected time of arrival at the point of entry – select the non-EU country the consignment originated from as the ‘country of origin’
have a GB export health certificate
enter GB at an established point of entry with an appropriate BCP so they’re available for document, identity and physical checks
HRFNAO
From 1 January 2021 any HRFNAO that transits the EU from a third country, before import into GB will need to enter GB through a BCP approved for HRFNAO.

HRFNAO must:

be pre-notified on IPAFFS at least one working day in advance of the goods’ arrival – select the non-EU country the consignment originated from as the ‘country of origin’
enter GB at an established point of entry with an appropriate BCP so they’re available for document, identity and physical checks
HRFNAO listed in Annex 2 of 2019/1793 will need to be accompanied by:

an official certificate from the country of origin
laboratory analysis from the country of origin
Check if your product must be checked at a BCP by looking for the CN code for the product in:

Annex I to Regulation 2019/2007
Decision 2007/275/EC
POAO
From 1 January 2021, consignments of POAO originating from a third country, transiting EU territory, before being imported to GB must enter GB via a BCP with the appropriate designation if they have not had successful full animal and public health checks on entry to the EU.

Check if your product must be imported through a point of entry with an appropriate BCP by looking for the CN code for the product in regulation 2019/2007.

POAO must:

be pre-notified using IPAFFS at least one working day in advance of arrival – select the non-EU country the consignment originated from as the ‘country of origin’
have a GB health certificate
enter GB at an established point of entry with an appropriate BCP so they’re available for documentary, identity and physical checks
If your consignment of POAO have successful public and animal health checks on entry into the EU, follow the guidance for importing POAO to GB from the EU.

You’ll need to upload a copy of the CHED to the IPAFFS notification as proof of successful public and animal health checks.
Published 18 December 2020
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