Animal Plant Health Agency
This guidance applies to businesses in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) exporting or moving food, drink and agricultural products to, or through:
- the EU
- non-EU countries
- Northern Ireland
You need an export health certificate (EHC) or other certificate to export or move:
- processed food and drink
- food or drink that contains products of animal origin (POAO)
- vegetables, fruit and other plants used as food
POAO means animal products for human consumption such as:
- meat
- fish
- eggs
- dairy
- honey
- gelatine
Some countries require another type of export certificate for certain products.
If your product was made in Great Britain, check with the food safety team in the local authority where your product was manufactured.
You can check each countrys rules by talking to your importer or getting help researching your export market.
Theres a ban on exporting caviar, caviar substitutes, truffles and goods containing truffles to Syria and North Korea.
Contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for details.
Export or move processed food and drinks
You need an EHC to export or move most processed food and drink products that contain POAO to:
You do not usually need an EHC if your processed food and drink product does not contain POAO.
Examples of processed foods containing POAO include products such as:
- lasagne
- pork pie
You may also need a certificate of free sale to export processed food and drink to non-EU countries. The food authority in the country youre exporting to will tell you if you need one.
If you export any soft drinks with added sugar, you may need to register for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. You can claim a credit for any exported drinks you pay the levy on.
Export or move food or drink that contains POAO to the EU or Northern Ireland
Youll need an export health certificate (EHC) to:
- export food or drink that contains POAO from Great Britain to the EU
- move them from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
- transit through the EU and Northern Ireland
If youre moving food or drink that contains POAO to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for them to be inspected and certified. The certifier invoices the government for these costs as part of the Movement Assistance Scheme.
Read about labelling requirements under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme.
Theres an arrangement for authorised traders moving food from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Youll also need to:
- get your goods checked at an EU border control post (BCP) or Northern Ireland point of entry in the first country you enter
- make sure your EU or Northern Ireland-based import agent has notified the BCP or Northern Ireland point of entry that your consignment is arriving - check with the BCP or Northern Ireland point of entry for how much notice needs to be given
- comply with wider HMRC guidance on customs requirements for exporting to the EU
- follow HMRC guidance for moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
There are different rules for exporting or moving:
You should read additional rules if you:
- export composite food products to the EU
- want to check if your product counts as a composite food product
Make sure you follow general guidance for businesses exporting to the EU.
Health visits from vets
From 13 December 2023, farmers will need to provide evidence that animals used to make food, drink and agricultural products that may be exported to the EU had annual health visits by a vet.
The food chain information (FCI) documents for the animals will need to include either a:
- qualifying farm assurance scheme membership number
- vet attestation number (VAN) from an annual health and welfare review (known as a pathway visit) or vet attestation visit
Maximum residue levels
Food you export or move to the EU or Northern Ireland must meet EU rules on maximum residue levels (MRLs). This includes food containing POAO. Check the rules for:
The EU will reject consignments containing food that do not comply with EU MRLs.
Commercial samples containing POAO
Commercial samples of goods that contain POAO need an export health certificate to be exported or moved to the EU or Northern Ireland.
Before you export your samples,