Arne Mielken
- Jan 16, 2022
- 3 min read

Part 1: UK Export Health Certificate for EU business requirements from July 2022

(FREE) Food and drink producers and retailers need to prepare for submitting Export Health Certificate for EU-UK POAO trade from July 2022.

On 14 September 2021, the UK has set out a new timetable for introducing full import controls for goods being imported from the EU to the UK. Our part blog series explores everything an EU exporter or GB importer needs to know:

Part 1: New timetable and overview in a nutshell

Part 2: Frequently Asked Questions about the SPS import controls from 2022

Part 3: Details about the SPS changes

What the government said earlier this year:

"On 31 December last year, the UK left the EU’s Single Market and Customs Union. This was the biggest change in the UK’s trading relationships for decades. The Government has always been clear that this meant change for business and for citizens, including new processes and requirements.

The first phase of such changes came in on 1 January. The Government has put in place the staffing, infrastructure, and IT to deal with the situation. Thanks to the hard work of traders and hauliers, we have not seen anything like the generalised disruption at our ports which many predicted, and supply chains have shown themselves to be robust.

However, the Government recognises the scale and significance of the challenges businesses have been facing in adjusting to the new requirements, at the same time as dealing with the impacts of COVID.

(in June 2020), we announced a timetable for the phased introduction of controls on imports from the EU into Great Britain, to ensure businesses could prepare in a phased way. This timetable was based on the impacts of the first wave of COVID. We know now that the disruption caused by COVID has lasted longer and has been deeper than we anticipated. Accordingly, the Government has reviewed these timeframes.

Although we recognise that many in the border industry and many businesses have been investing time and energy to be ready on time, and indeed we in Government were confident of being ready on time, we have listened to businesses who have made a strong case that they need more time to prepare. In reviewing the timeframes, we have given strong weight to the disruption which has been caused and is still being caused, by COVID, and the need to ensure that the economy can recover fully.

In September 2021, they provided a clear revised timetable for the introduction of controls, as follows:

Timetable as 1-2-3

The requirements for pre-notification of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) goods, which were due to be introduced on 1 October 2021, will now be introduced on 1 January 2022.
The new requirements for Export Health Certificates, which were due to be introduced on 1 October 2021, will now be introduced on 1 July 2022.
Phytosanitary Certificates and physical checks on SPS goods at Border Control Posts, due to be introduced on 1 January 2022, will now be introduced on 1 July 2022.

More Details

New controls and requirements due to be introduced from 1 October 2021 and 1 January 2022 have now been delayed to 1 January 2022 and 1 July 2022. EU / UK Businesses no longer need to pre-notify or acquire a certified Export Health Certificate (EHC) from 1 October 2021.

This means ship suppliers can continue to import animal product consignments from the European Union as you do today until 31 December 2021.

When will it happen now?

From 1 January 2022, importers (or a representative acting on their behalf) will be required to pre-notify authorities via IPAFFS that their consignment will be entering Great Britain.

From 1 July 2022, animal products will need to continue to pre-notify their arrival via IPAFFS.

Let us file IPAFFS for you

Additionally, these consignments must be accompanied by a certified Export Health Certificate and enter via a point of entry with a Border Control Post (BCP) that has been designated to receive these goods. The consignment will be subject to documentary, ID, and physical checks.

No impact on current arrangements

These delays do not impact any current arrangements already in place i.e. products under safeguard measures.

What shall businesses do?

At this stage, it is reasonable for businesses to start thinking about the appropriate and relevant actions they will need to take to be ready for 1 January 2022. Please contact us via the chat function to discuss your requirements or book a free consultation.

This is a great time to upskill yourself on how SPS works by booking one of our pieces of training. In addition to the LIVE! training, we offer on-demand training course on SPS:

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