Reminder: Brexit related trade requirements take effect tomorrow

Export Health Certification for Trade with Great Britain required from 00:01 a.m. on 31st January

The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority are reminding industry that the requirement for Export Health Certificates for trade with Great Britain will take effect from tomorrow. From 00:01 a.m. on the 31st January, the requirement for export health certification and transit certificates for all medium and high-risk consignments of fish, fishery products and molluscan shellfish from Ireland to Great Britain will officially come into effect. This is also the case for Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) pre-notification of all low, medium, and high-risk exports and transits of fish fishery products and molluscan shellfish from Ireland to Great Britain.

Export Health Certificates will be provided through the EU system TRACES.

To prepare for these changes Food Business Operators should:

• Ensure your business is registered as an approved exporter on EU TRACES - https://www.gov.ie/en/service/046a44-register-with-traces/
• Know your products UK risk-category to confirm which UK requirements apply to your goods– use these online tools to find the risk category of your commodity: - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/import-risk-categories-for-animals-animal-products-plants-and-plant-products
• Be clear about who is the Person/Entity in your supply chain designated as responsible for the import of the consignment in Great Britain or for the consignment moving via the Great Britain landbridge. The designated operator responsible for the consignment in Great Britain must be an entity with a physical UK address. This Person/Entity will be required to submit import pre-notifications on IPAFFS import system: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-of-products-animals-food-and-feed-system
• Engage with your local SFPA port office and SFPATradeandAudit@sfpa.ie to confirm if certification to Great Britain or for transit movements via Great Britain is needed for your products and prepare for the provision of health certificates as required by UK.
• You may need to get a UK Government account to be able to use the UK’s Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) to generate a Goods Movement Reference (GMR) - - What is your goods movement reference (GMR)? - Check if you need to report for an insection - GOV.UK (tax.service.gov.uk) What is your goods movement reference (GMR)? - Check if you need to report for an inspection - GOV.UK (tax.service.gov.uk) From 31 January 2024, a GMR will be required to allow export consignments board ferry/plane in Ireland for movement to Great Britain. A GMR requires a UK customs import declaration to be completed and submitted in advance of movement to Great Britain. 
• Avail of the industry training available on the DAFM TRACES web page here gov.ie - TRACES (www.gov.ie).  A user manual for the completion of export health certificates and other guidance documents are also available on this page.

Any TRACES system queries should in the first instance be directed to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s TRACES helpdesk at Traces@agriculture.gov.ie or by calling 01 6072860.

For further information on what you need to do in order to be prepared for the changes being implemented from 00:01 a.m. on the 31st of January please refer to our preparedness advice here:

SFPA Issues Information Notice to Industry in relation to Preparedness Advice for Industry Trading with Great Britain

The full SFPA process on Export Health Certification can be found here:

TCIA-IN-HC-36 - Information Notice - Export Health Certification to GB Process from 31st of January 2024 (sfpa.ie)

Instructions on how to complete an application for an Export Health Certificate are found here:

TCIA-IN-HC-38 - Information Notice - Correct GB Export Health Certificate Completion (sfpa.ie)

Queries regarding this information notice may be addressed to SFPATradeandAudit@sfpa.ie

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