Animal Plant Health Agency
Details
From 31 January 2024, to import live animals or animal products from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein into Great Britain, youll need to:
- find the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) risk category for the commodity youre importing
- follow the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules for that import risk category
The BTOM categorises live animals, germinal products, products of animal origin (POAO) and animal by-products (ABPs) as high risk, medium risk or low risk. Each category has different requirements.
This guidance applies to animals and animal products imported from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein only. Read separate guidance on:
How to find the BTOM risk category for animals and animal products
You can use the 2 documents on this page to help you find the risk category for a commodity youre importing.
1. BTOM risk categories: summary tables
Use the summary tables to find out about BTOM risk categories for imports of live animals, POAO and ABPs from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein to Great Britain.
The tables give a summary of how different types of animals and animal products will be categorised. They do not provide the risk categories for specific commodity codes - for that, you will need to use the searchable list with commodity codes (see below).
2. BTOM risk categories: searchable list with commodity codes
Use the spreadsheet on this page (BTOM risk categories for animal and animal product imports from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein to Great Britain: searchable list with commodity codes) to find the risk category for a specific commodity youre importing. You can search using a commodity code or browse a list of commodities.
The list includes live animals and POAO. It does not include all ABPs and composite products. (See next section if you cant find the risk category for your commodity.)
What to do if you cant find your commodity risk category
If the list does not give the risk category for the commodity youre importing, or indicates that it could be either medium or low risk, refer to the summary tables for more information about how that type of commodity will be categorised.
Updates to commodity risk categories
Risk factors will be reviewed regularly. Commodities may be moved into higher or lower BTOM risk categories in future to reflect changing levels of risk.
Youll be notified in advance if there is a change to the BTOM risk category of a commodity you have imported.
Composite products
From January 2024, all composite products from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein will be either:
- in the low BTOM risk category (some products will have a further risk assessment and may become medium risk, but not before April 2024)
- not placed in a BTOM risk category because it is exempt from official import controls.
Find out if your product is a composite, and if it is exempt from import controls.
Rules for each BTOM risk category
There are 3 BTOM risk categories:
- low risk
- medium risk
- high risk<