Pre-notification of the arrival of consignments at a Northern Ireland Point of Entry from GB

The rules on moving goods into, out of or through Northern Ireland changed on 1 January 2021.

What to do if moving goods into Northern Ireland

You must pre-notify arrival of your consignment of SPS goods into Northern Ireland from 1 January to a Point of Entry by completing Part One of the relevant documentation online, which is usually the Common Health Entry Document (CHED).

The TRAde Control and Expert System – New Technologies (TRACES.NT) is the European Commission's online notification system for moving agri-food goods into Northern Ireland from GB.  It will cover notification of movement of live animals, animal products, food and feed not of animal origin, and plants and plant products from GB to a Northern Ireland Point of Entry.

TRACES NT facilitates the exchange of data, information and documents between trading parties and Governments/Import control authorities.

How to get started on TRACES NT

How to pre-notify

Step 1 – Access TRACES NT

From the 1st January 2021, you must follow the steps below to pre-notify the arrival of a consignment of SPS goods at a Northern Ireland Point of Entry.

The person responsible for the consignment must be registered and have access to TRACES NT in order to pre notify the arrival of a consignment of SPS goods at a Northern Ireland Point of Entry.

DAERA will contact the person responsible for the consignment if the required information is missing or incorrect.

Step 2 – Complete CHED Part 1 online using TRACES NT

To pre notify a consignment, one of the various CHED documents should be completed online using TRACES NT at least 24 hours before the arrival of the consignment at a Northern Ireland Point of Entry.

Common Health Entry Documents (CHED)
CHED-A

Complete a CHED-A for consignments of live animals.

CHED-P

Complete a CHED-P for consignments of products of animal origin, germinal products and animal by-products.

CHED-PP

Complete a CHED-PP for consignments of plants, plant products and other objects for which a phytosanitary certificate is required

CHED-D

Complete a CHED-D for consignments of food and feed of non-animal origin subject to increased temporary controls and emergency measures.

Food Standards Agency have produced a step-by-step checker on moving food of non-animal origin from GB to NI will guide you through the requirements and the process.

If you have a query about the completing a CHED-D, you can send an email to Food Standards Agency imported.food@food.gov.uk.

If this information is not notified, it may result in additional checks on your goods at the point of entry and delay the movement of the goods through the point of entry in Northern Ireland. 

Further useful information to help you complete a CHED online

Guidance on bringing POAO and germplasm from GB to NI From 1 January 2021, there will be new procedures to follow when moving consignments of product of animal origin (POAO) , animal by-products (ABPs) and germplasm from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. More information can be found below.

Guidance on bringing live animals and fish to NI from GB From 1 January 2021, there will be new procedures to follow when moving live animals from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. More information can be found below.

See more information about Moving fishery products or bivalve molluscs from Great Britain and non EU countries into Northern Ireland.

Guidance for TRACES NT

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