Import from GB to NI under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS)
Guidance available here.
Import outside of the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS), Conforming with EU entry conditions, eligible for EU market;
Available Export Health Certificates (EHC)
General guidance
- Consignments must be fully compliant with the requirements of the Official Control Regulations 2017/625 to enter Northern Ireland. Further information on Official checks conducted the Points of Entry and compliance is available in the Compliance Protocol document
- The Combined Nomenclature (CN) is the EU's eight-digit coding system, comprising the Harmonised System (HS) codes with further EU subdivisions
- You can look up CN Commodity Codes via the Northern Ireland online Tariff System here
- You should contact customs in case you have any queries about the CN commodity code for your product. Contact details are available here
- Further clarification and EU entry controls on CN codes is available in EU Regulation Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/632 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630
- Ensure the product enters at a seaport or airport Point of Entry (PoE) that has EU designation for that product.
- Pre-Notification Consignments must be pre-notified to DAERA at the Point of Entry on TRACES-NT using a CHED-P. The importer or person responsible for the consignment must be registered on TRACES NT before the import can take place. Guidance on TRACES NT registration, pre-notification and CHED P completion can be found at this link. Pre-notification on TRACES NT must be completed at least 24 hours before arrival.
Triangular Trade
Triangular trade is when a product is imported from one country (a third country or an EU country) into Great Britain (GB) and re-exported to Northern Ireland (NI).
The rules for Triangular Trade movements of Products of Animal Origin are available here.
GB issued guidance is available here
Legislation and useful links
Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011
Animal by-products - European Commission (europa.eu)
Available Export Health Certificates (EHC)
All available and agreed EHCs for movements from GB to NI can be found here
An overview of most commonly used pet food EHCs is listed below.
Should you have further queries on the GB export processes, you should contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on exports@apha.gov.uk.
In case of any other queries, please contact DAERA Trade Imports on daeratradeimports@daera-ni.gov.uk 028 90524588
- Rodents/Chicks (frozen) – dead invertebrates – fish bait - fish feed for aquariums link to general licence- General import licences for animals/animal products | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk)
- Live Invertebrates - General import licences for animals/animal products | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk)
- Dog Chews- Dog chews to the European Union and Northern Ireland: certificate 8325 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Canned pet food - Canned pet food to, or transit through, the European Union and Northern Ireland: certificate 8324 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Animal By-Products for manufacture of Pet food- Animal by-products for the manufacture of pet food to, or transit through, the European Union and Northern Ireland: certificate 8311 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Raw Pet Food- Raw pet food for direct sale or animal by-products to be fed to fur animals to, or transit through, the European Union and Northern Ireland: certificate 8306 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Flavouring Innards- Flavouring innards for use in the manufacture of pet food to the European Union and Northern Ireland: certificate 8326 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)