Sep 1st, 2021
5 mins
As members will be aware, the EU is making changes to its animal health laws, introducing new Animal Health Regulation (AHR) Export Health Certificates (EHCs) for use by British exporters from 21 August 2021 for goods moved to Northern Ireland or exported to the EU from GB.
Earlier this month, the EU announced a delay to when traders must start to use the new EHCs – from 21 August 2021 to 15 January 2022. The delay relates to EHCs for all products of animal origin (POAO), live animals, germinal products and composite products.
APHA have recently updated guidance on AHR EHCS for traders . Members should note the following:
- All existing and most of the new AHR EHCs are available and traders can decide which ones they wish to use until 15 January.
- APHA encourages exporters to begin the process of moving towards using the new EHCs in a manner and time suitable to their business but in readiness for full switchover from 15 January 2022.
- A small number of new EHCs have been removed from EHC Online for now. This is because the EU will be amending some EHCs, and some are subject to ongoing discussions with the EU regarding GB’s disease freedom status.
Note: You should continue to use the existing EHCs for these products until the new certificates are made available again. They will be available well in advance of 15 January 2022. If you have already started using any of the new EHCs placed on hold, and your consignment has already been certified you do not need to do anything. Your EHC will still be valid for entry into the EU or Northern Ireland. If you have made an application for one of the EHCs below but the certificate has not yet been issued, your application will be deleted and you will need to apply again, using the equivalent current EHC.
The following new EHCs are currently not available on EHC Online:
Dairy
8353 – dairy products intended for human consumption derived from raw milk or that are not required to undergo a specific risk-mitigating treatment
8354 – dairy products intended for human consumption that are required to undergo a pasteurization treatment
8358 – colostrum-based products intended for human consumption
Live animals
8446 – bovine animals
8447 – bovine animals intended for slaughter
8448 – ovine and caprine animals
8449 – ovine and caprine animals intended for slaughter
8452 – camelid and cervid animals
Composite products
Changes to the rules for the certification of composite products, which took effect in April 2021, continue to apply.
Traders have been informed they should continue to use the new AHR composite EHCs if they have been doing so since April.
If their composite product used an EHC prior to 21 April 2021, they can now continue to use that EHC until 15 January 2022.
Timing
The new AHR EHCs will need to be used for all goods exported to the EU from 15 January 2022. Current EHCs signed before 15 January 2022 can be used until 15 March 2022 for goods on route to the EU.
Further information can be found here
