101 UK Brexit Notes

Connemara Programme October 16 2018 pg. 34 Agriculture: Importing animals and Animal products Purpose This notice sets out how anyone who imports live animals, animal products and high-risk food and feed into the UK would be affected if the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 without a deal. Before 29 March 2019 The current regime for importing live animals, animal products, and high-risk food and feed into the UK is regulated by EU legislation. For imports to the UK from outside the EU (third country trade) Goods are notified to the UK using the EU’s Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES). Health certificates are required and veterinary checks are carried out on entry to the UK at a Border Inspection Post (BIP), an inspection post approved for carrying out veterinary checks on animals and animal products entering the EU. Goods originating in countries outside the EU, destined for the UK, which enter the EU to transit onwards to the UK, are normally checked at the first point of entry into the EU. Once they have entered the EU they are subject to normal rules for imports to the UK from within the EU. For imports to the UK from within the EU Different rules apply to trade between countries within the EU. Exporting live animals and some very specific animal products (such as germplasm) requires exporters to provide either an EHC or, more generally, an EU-specific version of an EHC, known as an Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC). For all other animal products, no certification is required and no specific processes need to be followed. Where there are currently no border checks required for live animals and animal products from the EU, risk-based checks are made at the final destination. There are additional requirements when transporting live vertebrate animals for commercial or economic activity. For all journeys, the transporter must hold a valid Transporter Authorisation and drivers and attendants must hold a Certificate of Competence. For journeys over eight hours within the EU, vehicles must also have a valid vehicle approval certificate. Transporter Authorisations, Certificates of Competence and Vehicle Approval Certificates must be issued by an EU member state. For journeys over eight hours where farm livestock and unregistered horses will be transported, the transporter must also hold a Journey Log. After March 2019 if there’s no deal In the unlikely event the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 with no deal in place, the EU will not allow the UK to access the EU import notification system, TRACES. To ensure those involved in importing live animals, animal products and high-risk food and feed could continue to do so, a new import notification system is being developed to take the place of TRACES. The new system will be available for early testing in January 2019 and, in the unlikely event of a ‘no deal’ scenario, would be fully operational for all users from the day the UK leaves the EU. For an interim period, the UK would continue to recognise Transporter Authorisations, Certificates of Competence, Vehicle Approval Certificates and Journey Logs issued by other EU Member States. UK-issued documents would only be valid for use in the UK and not in any other EU member state. UK transporters wishing to transport live animals in the EU would need to appoint a representative within an EU member state and apply to their relevant government department to obtain a valid Transporter Authorisation, Certificate of Competence, Vehicle Approval Certificate and, where necessary, a Journey Log. TRACES users Anyone currently using the TRACES system would need to start using the new import notification system, together with any updated processes that system may require, ahead of March 2019. In the unlikely event of a ‘no deal’ scenario, guidance and training material would be available several months in advance of March 2019, clearly setting out any differences from the existing system, although these will be minimal as it has been developed to replicate TRACES functionality. Representatives from key user groups are involved in the design, testing and preparation of the system. Updates will be issued to the industry between now and March 2019 to assist users to prepare for any change required in March 2019, and ensure businesses are ready for imports on the day the UK leaves the EU.