This will be achieved by making full use of the flexibilities available within the OCR, minimising the checks required whilst still adhering to the legal framework.
LATEST - Update on arrangements for Authorised Traders
The UK Government previously announced the continuation of the Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland (STAMNI) arrangements for Authorised Traders beyond 31 March 2021. Following the UK Government announcement on 6 September, the STAMNI arrangements will continue to be in place until further notice.
Detailed Guidance for Authorised Traders currently under review.
Further information on moving P&R goods can be found here.
New Guidance For Authorised Traders
Prior to moving goods into Northern Ireland, eligible businesses must take the following steps:
- Register on TRACES NT (Getting started on TRACES NT)
- A commercial seal is applied at a freight unit level.
- Complete a STAMNI compliance declaration for every load containing products of animal origin (POAO), composite products, food and feed of non-animal origin, plant and plant products. The STAMNI compliance declaration within the Authorised Retail Scheme temporarily substitutes the requirement for official certifications such as export health certificates, phytosanitary certificates, marketing standards and Organic Certificate of Inspection, provided all consignments meet EU requirements.
- Pre notify the arrival of a consignment at least 24 hours before arriving in Northern Ireland by creating a Common Health Entry Document for Products of Animal Origin (CHED-P) on TRACES NT (Guide to submitting a CHED–P).
More details about the CN Code (9930, Retail) and other information to help you complete the CHED-P are included in the Detailed Guidance for Authorised Traders.
Channelling
Businesses must e-mail DAERA (SPSChannelling@Daera-ni.gov.uk) within three days of the goods having reached their final destination, including the correspondent CHED number and seal number. Businesses that do not notify DAERA will be issued with a warning letter.
After 31 January 2021, businesses that do not notify DAERA will be investigated and non-compliant traders will be subject to increased checks on arrival, leading to delays.
Retail
In addition to the above flexibilities, the UK Command Paper of December 2020, and the ‘Unilateral Declaration by the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee’, has stated that goods from certain food suppliers, approved by the UK as meeting a range of trust criteria, can enter NI from GB under the following conditions:
- They are packaged for end consumers and bear a label reading ‘These products from the United Kingdom may not be marketed outside Northern Ireland’;
- They are destined solely for sale to end consumers in supermarkets located in Northern Ireland, and they cannot be sold to other operators of the food chain;
- They are accompanied by a simplified official certificate globally stating the products meet all the import requirements of EU legislation;
- They enter Northern Ireland through a designated place as defined in point (38) of Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council, where they are submitted to a systematic documentary check and to a risk-based identity check on the selection of terms in the means of transport; and
- They are monitored through a channelling procedure applicable from the designated place as defined in point (38) of Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and the Council of the destination supermarket in Northern Ireland.
Authorised Traders and Movement of Composite Products
Businesses on the Authorised Trader list that are moving composite products from GB to NI will not be required to complete new composite EHCs or private attestations until the relevant phase of compliance comes into effect. In the meantime, STAMNI (Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland) declarations will meet the requirements for movement of composites.
However, all such goods moved from GB to NI by Authorised Traders must comply with the regulatory requirements for production of composite products.
Further information here.
Reminder: Hospitality sector traders moving goods from GB to NI – how does this affect Authorised Traders?
The Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland (STAMNI) arrangements for Authorised Traders does not cover movement of goods for hospitality. As set out in the STAMNI guidance published in December and replicated in the DAERA compliance guidance this scheme is for goods destined solely for sale to end consumers in supermarkets located in Northern Ireland, and they cannot be sold to other operators of the food chain.
If you are an Authorised Trader, you will have been notified by Defra and will have received an Authorised Trader number. For Authorised Traders whose goods are destined for both retail and hospitality, only the former is covered by the STAMNI arrangements and the latter requires certification.
Moving High-Risk Food and Feed of Non-Animal Origin (HRFNAO) from GB to NI
From 1 April 2021, traders of certain high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin (HRFNAO) products do not need to pay official certification costs (including lab sampling costs):
The official certification costs for the HRFNAO products listed will be incurred by Local Authorities (LAs). The LAs will invoice the Government for these costs.
You should note that Authorised Traders can continue to move certain HRFNAO products from GB to NI without the need for official certification until further notice and therefore these processes do not apply. Authorised Traders should continue to use STAMNI compliance declaration form to move these goods from GB to NI.