Port health (imported foods)

New import controls from 31 January 2024

Please find useful links below to see how these changes will affect your business:

Prepare now to be compliant and avoid disruption to your business and supply chain. 

Information leaflets for businesses. 

Imported food and other goods

The main types of food that are imported through East Midlands Airport are fruit, vegetables, nuts, meat and fish.

This information is intended for importers who want to import products of animal origin (POAO) and certain food of non-animal origin (FNAO) which originate or are dispatched from a non-EU country, into the UK or other EU state via East Midlands Airport. There are also restrictions governing the import of POAO and FNAO which are not used as food, but for other purposes.

These pages are intended as a guide only and are not an authoritative statement of law or policy. There is a substantial amount of EU legislation governing imports of these products.

Why we have controls

Controls on these products are put in place to help prevent the introduction of animal diseases that could affect livestock and other animals. The controls are also to protect public health. Systems are in place to ensure that products intended for human and animal consumption are produced in conditions which meet good standards of hygiene.

Commercial imports

The inspection facility is designated as both a border control post (BCP) and designated point of entry / introduction (DPE/DPI).

Further information regarding imports that are permitted via East Midlands and other Border Control Posts in Great Britain can be found below.

Border Control Posts in Great Britain

Frozen goods and live animals cannot be handled at the East Midlands Airport Border Control Post.

The consignments will be subject to documentary, identification, and physical checks to ensure compliance with import conditions. All cleared consignments will be issued with a CHED-P (POAO Common Entry Document) or CHED-D (HRFNAO Common Entry Document).

New Import Rules

The Government has published the final Border Target Operating Model setting out a new approach to security controls (applying to all imports), and sanitary and phytosanitary controls (applying to imports of live animals, animal products, plants and plants products) at the border. Use the link below to find out more information.

The Border Target Operating Model: August 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you import food products, live animals, animal products, plants or plant products into Great Britain, you can check the Border Target Operating Model risk-level of your commodity now, to be ready for upcoming changes to border processes.

• From EU Countries: View the Plants and Plant Product Border Target Operating Model risk categories
• From EU Countries: View the Animals and Animal Products Border Target Operating Model risk categories
• From non-EU Countries: View the Plants and Plant Product Border Target Operating Model risk categories
• From non-EU Countries: View the Animals and Animal Products Border Target Operating Model risk categories

Documentary requirements

Health certificate

Health certificates are obtained from the competent authority of the country of origin. They must contain specific information as detailed in EU Decisions and Directives. The general requirements for all health certificates are that it must:

• Be the original copy (no photocopies will be accepted)
• Have a unique reference number
• Be fully completed
• Not have unauthorised alterations or be defaced in any way, i.e. no Tippex or crossings out
• Be drawn up in English
• Be made out to a single recipient
• Be signed by the OVS or equivalent representative of the competent authority of the country of origin and have an official health stamp of the country of origin in a different colour to that of the printed ink
• Be dated in relation to the date of loading of the products
• Details of the address and approval numbers of the processing plant of origin

Where health certificates fail to comply with any of these requirements, the consignment will be refused entry.

Invoices/ packing list

Invoices must relate to the consignment, be dated in relation to the date of despatch. We advise that the following information is included: Air Waybill number, consignee and consignor, details of species/types of product, net weight.

Consignments that fail veterinary checks

Where a consignment fails the veterinary checks because it does not meet import requirements, the consignment will be rejected. Rejected consignments will be destroyed or re-dispatch to the country of origin by a specified date.

The requirements are regularly updated so to find the latest information regarding importing foods of animal origin, please refer to The Food Standards Agency.

Visit the Association of Port Health Authorities for more information.