Are you importing plants or animal products?

Should your business import plants and animal products from the EU into the UK then it’s important to know the rules have now changed. 

From 31^st January the government have started a programme titled the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) to bring in tighter controls for importing such products into the UK. 

Health Certificates in the UK

Health certificates will now be required before any medium or high risk products can enter the UK. It will be important to determine which risk category applies to each product and how the consignment should be grouped with the relevant paperwork prepared before the products enter the UK.  Medium and high risk products include items such as live animals, plants for planting, cut flowers and non-pasteurised milk, eggs and some fish- please click https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/import-risk-categories-for-animals-animal-products-plants-and-plant-products for more details on medium and high risk products.

Health Certificates worldwide

These rules will be extended to the rest of the world on 30^th April 2024 but also physical checks at border control of some products from the EU will start from this date with more products being added later in the year.

The final major change will be on 31^st October 2024 with the government requiring a safety and security declaration for medium and high risk products being imported from the EU. More details will be available later in the year.

Should your business be affected by these changes then it would be advisable to contact a Customs Agent for more information.

Should you require any further help with your business, please contact your local Perrys branch.