May 3rd, 2023
3 mins
DEFRA has now published the ‘risk categorisation’ for EU commodities which will be subject to the new sanitary or phytosanitary (SPS) controls starting from the end of October 2023. This follows the publication of the draft Border Target Operating Model in April.
The TOM categorises live animals, germinal products, products of animal origin and animal by-products as high risk, medium risk, or low risk. Each risk category has different requirements, and this will determine the level of checks and documentation that will be required for SPS goods entering GB (England, Scotland, and Wales) from the EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states.
You can look up the commodity you’re importing and it’s risk level in the tables on this page. There is also a link towards the bottom of the table where you can access TOM risk categories for plants and plant products,
TOM risk categories for imports of animals and animal products from non-EU countries will be published in mid-2023.
The government is continuing to run a series of events over the next few weeks to explain how the TOM will work and to seek feedback from stakeholder groups. Full details are on gov.uk together with details of a feedback tool that the Cabinet Office has set up.
Streamlined EHCs
New streamlined model EHCs for products of animal origin and a number of animal by-products have also now been published on gov.uk here. The remaining EHCs for animal by-products will be published by mid-May 2023, followed by new EHCs in the summer for live animals and germinal products.
These new EHCs will need to be used for affected goods from 31st October.
