Changes to EU/NI Export Health Certificates (EHCs) under Animal Health Law
On 15 January 2022, the EHCs used for export certification of products of animal origin (POAO) from Great Britain (GB) to EU since EU Exit on 1st January 2021 changed in line with the model certificates as required by EU Regulation 2016/429, otherwise known as Animal Health Law (AHL).
At that time, the EU Commission, however, allowed some flexibility and a number of EU Member States continued to accept the pre AHL Export Health Certificates.
This flexibility ended on the 29 April and, from then, all products of animal origin (POAO) exported from GB to EU/NI must be accompanied by the appropriate EHC as required by AHL.
The new model EHCs affect not just the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for certification of POAO from a third country, including GB, but also whether POAO from a Member State, including NI, is eligible for re-export from a third country to EU/NI.
In turn, this affects the SPS requirements and the eligibility of POAO of Northern Irish origin which may be exported from GB to EU/NI. The requirements of support health attestations (SHA) issued in NI have, therefore, also changed.
Please find below:
- notes for guidance explaining which NI meat products are eligible for export
- new notes for guidance for NI beef, pork and poultry to be exported as a meat preparation / product from GB
- revised notes for guidance for NI dairy and egg products
- updated generic notes for guidance for completion of an SHA
The process and templates used to apply for an SHA remain unchanged.
DAERA Support Health Attestation Generic Notes for Guidance