High-Risk Food Import Legislation Update
Posted on 12th January 2023 at 14:38
An update to import legislation relating to high-risk food of non-animal origin (HRFNAO) will be installed for UK imports from 17th January 2023. This change impacts a range of commodities and mostly focusses on the reduction in certification required for certain goods, such as peanuts and sultanas. Such updates will result in peanuts imported from Brazil and China no longer requiring a health certificate and test report for import to the UK, which we are sure will be welcomed by UK importers.
The key regulation change relates to a piece of retained legislation post-Brexit, and the switching of commodities away from the stricter Annex II product list, to either the more leniant Annex I, or the removal from both lists entirely and the total freedom to import without restrictions on certification.
Firstly, peanuts originating from China and Brazil have switched from Annex II to Annex I. This means the commodities will no longer need to be accompanied by a health certificate or test report for Port Health approval, however a CHED-D will still continue to be a requirement for submission in the IPAFFS system to pre-notify of goods' arrival across the UK border. This brings China and Brazil more in line with imports of peanuts from the United States, for example.
Argentinian and Indian origin peanuts will continue to require a health certificate and test reports, at this stage.
Any consignments which have left China or Brazil directly prior to 17th January will still require the full suite of paperwork as has been the requirement for several years, including health certificate and laboratory reports. However, any consignments leaving those countries on 17th January onwards will not need further paperwork, and CHED-Ds can be prepared using just the commercial paperwork.
Further to this, it has also been confirmed that regulations restricting imports of raisins and sultanas from Turkey are also changing. From 17th January, it will no longer be a requirement to create a CHED-D for these commodities from this origin, whereas currently this has been completed using commercial paperwork. This key jump is good news for UK importers.
Boast International continues to be in direct communication with Port Health authorities, and is a leading global freight forwarding operator in the understanding of such legislation to ensure we can promise an excellent service to our customers in the industry. We are a member of the UK Nut and Dried Fruit Association (NDFTA) thanks to our long-term support to businesses in the food and ingredients sector.
Contact us to find out how we can support your business in the handling of commodities, whether in the food sector or elsewhere.
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