United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – Export requirements for milk and dairy products

Notice

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland where Great Britain includes the devolved nations of England, Wales and Scotland and their islands is now considered by the European Union (EU) as a third country. However, a special status has been granted to Northern Ireland which remains aligned with the EU on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures.

On this page

  1. Eligible/ineligible product
  2. Pre-export approvals by the competent authority of the importing country
  3. Production Controls and Inspection Requirements
  4. Labelling, packaging and marking requirements
  5. Required documents
  6. Additional information

1. Eligible/ineligible product

The export certificates for milk and dairy products including colostrum and colostrum based products refer to a list of Harmonized System (HS) code(s). It is the responsibility of the exporter to ensure that the product being exported will be covered by the certificates issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Eligible

  • The list of Harmonized System codes can be found on the model health certificates.

Ineligible

  • Information not available

2. Pre-export approvals by the competent authority of the importing country

Country

To export raw milk, dairy products, colostrum and colostrum-based products to Great Britain, the exporting country must be on the list of authorized third countries.

Establishments

The manufacturing, exporting and storage facilities of dairy products must be under the official oversight of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and be licensed under the Safe Food for Canadian Regulations (SFCR).

  • Establishments must appear on the appropriate establishment list administered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The establishments must fulfill the relevant provisions of the following legislation and associated legislation for Animal Products:
    • Retained Regulation (EU) 625/2019
    • Retained Regulation (EC) 853/2004 – Article 6 & Annex III
  • The list pertinent to milk and dairy products is available on the Establishments approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain (GB). Please select List of establishments in non-EU countries approved to export animal products to GB. Please sort by:
    • Country name "CA Canada"
    • Sector "food"
    • Section IX Raw milk or dairy products or colostrum and colostrum based products
  • If products requiring temperature control are being exported from a storage warehouse outside the licensed facility, the storage warehouse must be licensed by the CFIA. It must also be on the list of establishments approved to export dairy products to the GB.

Procedure to update the Great Britain approval lists

Please refer to European Union (EU) – Export requirements for milk and dairy products page to complete the Request for Addition to the list of Canadian Dairy Establishment Approved for Export to the EU (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 8164839), however you will need to specify in your application that the request is for the GB.

Products

This information is not available.

3. Production Controls and Inspection Requirements

The inspector must verify during a preventive control inspection that the manufacturer is aware of the standards and requirements of the EU and has a specific export procedure in place. This procedure must contains the following elements in particular:

  • reference to relevant GB regulations
  • how the manufacturer follows changes in the GB legislation
  • comparison of GB regulations/standards/parameters with those of Canada
  • the procedure to be followed in the event of a difference between the regulations/standards/parameters of the GB and those of Canada in order to ensure that the product meets the requirements of the GB
  • the corrective and preventive actions to be considered in the event of non-compliance

See also European Union (EU) – Export requirements for milk and dairy products

Certification requirements

Health certificates whose final destination is GB contain animal health and public requirements.

4. Labelling, packaging and marking requirements

Exported products depending on their final destination (Great Britain and/or Northern Ireland) mainly must meet certain packaging and labelling requirements. The exporter must work closely with the importer to ensure the compliance of their products. The labelling activity must be conducted in the approved establishment.

5. Required documents

Canada does not have negotiated certificates with Great Britain.

The export health certificates below cover products exported to Great Britain (GB) including England, Wales, Scotland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. References to EU legislation on the notes of these certificates are references to direct EU legislation which has been retained in Great Britain (retained EU law as defined in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018).

As a manufacturer/exporter and in order to facilitate the certification process, it is important that you are familiar with the content of parts I and II of the UK model certificates including the notes in part III. All health certificates of GB are published on the website gov.uk.

It's the responsibility of the applicant to choose model health certificate that corresponds to the product intended for export and to provide the inspector with the information entered in Part I. Details of dispatched consignment of the certificate.

Part II. Certification, must be completed by an official veterinarian in collaboration with the official inspector. However, some information will have to be provided by the applicant in order for Part II to be completed if applicable. This information (for example: the origin of dairy products, the heat treatment of dairy products, the origin of raw milk, animal species, the date of production, etc.) should be provided in the form of a manufacturer's declaration when applying for an export certificate.

Official health certificates shall be completed according to the guidance provided at How to complete a health certificate for export to Great Britain, as well as the notes on the export certificates.

If a container is used to ship the products, it is mandatory that the exporter provides the container and seal number in Part I: Details of dispatched consignment.

Certificate

Certificates for milk and dairy products

  • Health certificate for raw milk from third countries or parts thereof authorised in column A intended for further processing before being used for human consumption (Milk-RM) GBHC410.(CFIA/ACIA FA1031)
  • Health certificate for dairy products derived from raw milk for human consumption, from third countries or parts thereof authorised in column A (Milk-RMP) GBHC411. (CFIA/ACIA FA1030)
  • Health Certificate for dairy products derived from milk of cows, ewes, goats and buffaloes for human consumption from third countries or parts thereof authorised in column B (Milk-HTB) GBHC412 . (CFIA/ACIA FA1025)
  • Health certificate for dairy products for human consumption from third countries or parts thereof authorised in column C (Milk-HTC) GBHC413. (CFIA/ACIA FA1027)

Note: The heath certificate Model (Milk-HTB) GBHC412, form number (CFIA/ACIA FA1025) is generally the certificate issued the most by the CFIA.

Certificates for colostrum and colostrum-based products

  • Health certificate for colostrum of cows, ewes, goats and buffaloes and colostrum-based products derived from colostrum of the same species from third countries or parts thereof listed in column A for human consumption (C/CPB) GBHC414. (CFIA/ACIA FA1032)

Certificate for transit or storage

  • Health certificate for raw milk, colostrum, dairy products or colostrum-based products for human consumption, intended for transit or storage from non-EU countries GBHC069X. (CFIA/ACIA FA1029)

Note: The model health certificate (M/C/DP-TS) GBHC145 form number (CFIA/ACIA FA1029 used for transit through GB or storage within the territory of GB must be accompanied by the certificate of final destination of the product.

Note:

  • The health certificates are signed by the official veterinarian after having read and understood the notes in Part III.
  • Please ensure that the certificate issued by the CFIA doses not contain Part III. Notes for completion the certificates.
  • Export certificates cannot be issued after the products have left Canada.

6. Additional information

Exported products transiting through a country may require transit documentation. It is the responsibility of the exporter to ensure that the shipment will be accompanied by all necessary certificates. Please work closely with your importer.

Samples (personal or commercial) of products may be subject to the same requirements as a regular shipment. A special import permit could be required. It is strongly recommended that the exporter verify these requirements with their importer and/or with the border control post where the products will be shipped.

Relevant links

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