Dear subscriber,

Welcome to this week's FSAI Brexit Ezine.

Controls are carried out on food entering the EU market to protect the safety and health of EU citizens, the health and welfare of animals, and the environment. Since 1 January, these controls apply to products entering the EU from the UK, excluding Northern Ireland.

The Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, means that no new procedures will apply to goods moving between Northern Ireland and Ireland (or the other Member States of the European Union).

Some food businesses are finding food import requirements challenging especially around import documentation and notification periods.  This Ezine will focus on the documentary and notification requirements and explain what you need to do for food imports from the UK (excluding Northern Ireland).

The operator responsible for the consignment must send documentation to the relevant agency in advance of the consignments arrival into Ireland. This allows documentary checks to be carried out before the consignments arrives, minimising delays.

Food import requirements

Customs controls are carried out by the Revenue Commissioners and food import controls are carried out by:

• The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)
• The Environment Health Service of the Health Service Executive (HSE)

The type of import control carried out depends on the type of food. Some foods are required to enter Ireland through a Border Control Post (BCP) and are subject to specific import requirements such as registration, pre-notification, documentation, identity checks, physical checks and fees. The FSAI's free eLearning module outlines the controls for all food types. 

Visit the SFPA website for information on the import of fish via direct landings from a third country fishing vessel.

As noted, no new procedures will apply to goods moving between Northern Ireland and Ireland (or the other Member States of the European Union).

Import documents

How do I find a product's CN code for my import documents?

The Combined Nomenclature (CN) code is needed to complete your food import documents. It is very important that you use the correct CN code for the products you are importing as it is used to classify the products for  Customs. The CN code for food imports is a ten-digit number that corresponds to a description of the food. 

Visit Revenue Classification for help with classifying your product and determining the correct CN code. 

Notification requirements for food imports

The operator responsible for the consignment must notify the relevant Border Control Post (BCP):

24 hours in advance of arrival for the following food imports:

• All foods of animal origin 
• Composite products that require veterinary checks
• Certain foods of non-animal origin
• Regulated plants and plant products

Two-days notice must be given for the following:

• Foods of non-animal origin requiring import controls by DAFM's Pesticide Controls Division 
• Polyamide and melamine kitchenware from China and Hong Kong

Failure to submit correct documentation prior to arrival may result in delays processing the consignment through the BCP.

What does notification mean? 

1. Creating a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) in TRACES NT for the following:

• Foods of animal origin and certain composite products - CHED-P
• Certain foods of non-animal origin - CHED-D
• Regulated plants and plant products - CHED-PP

Here are links to guidance on creating CHED's in TRACES NT:   

• DAFM guidance link
• HSE guidance link  

2. Submitting food import documents to HSE/DAFM as follows: 

Note: Imports of foods of non-animal origin are controlled for food safety purposes (e.g. microbiologircal or chemical contamination) by the HSE, and for pesticide contamination by DAFM.

For details on the documents that need to be submitted to the BCP check out the FSAI Brexit Ezine dated 7 Jan 2021. 

To move goods as efficiently as possible, it is important to: 

• Be familiar with the documentary requirements for your food imports
• Notify HSE/DAFM within the required timeline 
• Talk to the key players in your supply chain as you rely on them for some of the import documentation e.g. health certificates for foods of animal origin are issued by the competent authority in Great Britain overseeing the place of dispatch
• Provide an email address which is constantly monitored, should further information on your goods be needed

Delays will occur if documents are missing, have incorrect information, or are not completed properly.

Key support and information can also be found at www.gov.ie/brexit.

FSAI Brexit Resources

Visit the FSAI's Brexit Resources page to find all our food business resources in one place.

Six Steps to Brexit Readiness

For up-to-date information on Brexit, visit our website at www.fsai.ie/Brexit or email Brexit@fsai.ie if you have any specific questions. 

Look out for future FSAI Brexit Ezines.  

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