Importing for organic businesses

Importing into the UK

The EU has now agreed to extend the recognition of the UK as equivalent for organics beyond 31st December 2023. 

As the UK will retain EC1235/2008 in our UK organic regulation coming into force in Jan 2021, recognition of organic products where certifiers are approved under EC1235/2008 scope (Annex IV of the EC1235/2008 organic regulation¹ ) should continue. 

Scope of the UK-EU Trade Deal

The scope of the trade deal limits products that may be imported from the EU and Northern Ireland (NI) into GB. Goods imported into the EU or NI from other third countries and not further processed (re-packing or re-labelling are not considered processed) in the EU or NI cannot be re-exported to GB.

However, GB COIs will not be required for imports from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland until February 2027.

Importing product into Northern Ireland

The UK Internal Market Scheme aims to expand the range of businesses able to move goods to NI without payment of EU tariffs and avoids completion of unnecessary paperwork and checks. The Windsor Framework established a new way to move prepacked retail goods, and certain loose goods including fruit and vegetables, from Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) into Northern Ireland. Called the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (ReMoS). The scheme started on 1 October 2023, replacing the previous Scheme for Temporary Agrifood Movements into Northern Ireland (STAMNI). For further details on registration, eligibility (trade routes, processes and product type), benefits, and labelling requirements, please download our guidance to exporting to NI.

Importing goods from GB into Northern Ireland

On 27 February 2023 the UK and EU agreed the Windsor Framework, aimed at improving flow of trade within the UK internal market. A new UK Internal Market Scheme was introduced aiming to expand the range of businesses able to benefit from the new arrangements provided to protect internal UK movements, including the removal of EU tariff and remove unnecessary paperwork and checks. The implementation of the Framework will happen in stages through 2024 into 2025, providing businesses with time to adapt to new arrangements.

Moving pre-packed retail goods

The Windsor Framework established a new way to move prepacked retail goods, and certain loose goods including fruit and vegetables, from Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) into Northern Ireland. Called the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (ReMoS). The scheme started on 1 October 2023, replacing the previous Scheme for Temporary Agrifood Movements into Northern Ireland (STAMNI).

Foods for final consumption intended for sale on the NI market only are eligible and businesses must be registered to export.

Where relevant, goods still need to meet EU standards but to help avoid additional certification/assurance costs and to facilitate movement, goods may benefit from ‘new green lane’ arrangements. Organic products that qualify for the ‘green lane' will not require a Certificate of Inspection (COI). Products for sale in the EU,  or that are intended for further processing, or animal feed require a COI.  

Goods moved under ReMoS will not need multiple export health certificates, or be required to put an EU address on individual products. Movements will use a single General Certificate instead.

Certain products (e.g some produce and livestock origin products) originating from non-EU Third Countries may not qualify for green lane movement due to a lack of UK-EU alignment on sanitary & phytosanitary (SPS), or produce of animal origin (POAO) requirements.  

Labelling

Goods moved under ReMoS ‘green lane’ Can use an address in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), the Channel Islands (Guernsey and Jersey) and the Isle of Man. Products that can move through the green lane will require new labelling ‘Not for EU’. Defra labelling guidance provides full details and requirements to be phased between October 2023 and July 2025. They have published the commodity codes for products that will be covered by Phase 1& 2 – you can access them here. 

Movements which do not qualify under the scheme will move through the red lane. Financial assistance is provided for moving some goods to Northern Ireland, via the Movement Assistance Scheme. 

Organic Product

Regarding eligibility of organic product under ReMoS, (prepacked retail goods, and certain loose goods including fruit and vegetables), the Defra traders team have informed us the following are eligible for export without a COI via the ‘green lane’: 

1. all Great Britain origin products eligible
2. all Northern Ireland products processed in Great Britain eligible.
3. all EU origin products eligible
4. the majority of product entering GB direct from ROW, where further processed in GB . The following  exceptions apply:

• products that have no sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements, for example tinned fish, bananas, pineapples, durian, coconuts, pasta, noodles and couscous (except for when they contain meat products, for example meat filled pasta or couscous and noodles mixed with meat), bread, cakes, biscuits, waffles, soup stocks and flavourings and confectionery (including sweets), chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa
• products which do not require certification or controls for example processed or canned fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, flour and wine
• fisheries products that come from countries specified in the EU IUU implementing regulations
• products where the UK is taking the same approach as the EU to protect against the same pests and diseases; this should include:

• Meat: fresh, chilled or frozen New Zealand lamb; pet food and dog chews
• Vegetables: onions, shallots, garlic, cauliflowers, broccoli. peas, beans peppers, pumpkins, squash and gourds, sweetcorn, sweet potatoes and asparagus
• Fruit: tomatoes, avocados, grapes, melons, watermelons, apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, loganberries, blueberries, cranberries and ginger.

 Further information

If you have specific questions about the scheme please email ni.trade@defra.gov.uk

Northern Ireland Competent Authority (NICA) also run a bi-weekly NI-GB Food Supply Chain Forum. The NI-GB Food Supply Chain Forum is for all businesses within the agri-food supply chain who are moving goods between GB and NI. The Forum broadcasts fortnightly updates on specific Windsor Framework related, cross-cutting and operational updates relevant to the GB-NI food supply chain. During the Forum, businesses will hear from a range of Government speakers on issues pertaining to GB-NI trade. Businesses can join the forum by contacting NIGBFoodSupplyChainForum@defra.gov.uk.

Defra have also run a series of webinars which can be accessed here.

V1 - 27/11/2024

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 Additional control requirements for important from non-EU into GB

Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, Moldova, Turkey and China: DEFRA require some additional controls on certain products imported from these countries. This requires that additional controls are carried out by the certification bodies in those countries and sampling at the port of entry in GB. Read more about products affected and sampling requirements in GB.

India: Defra require sampling of organic turmeric imports from India into GB. This applies to shipments arriving in GB after 18 March 2024 and will initially apply for a 12-month period. This applies to turmeric in fresh, dried, or powdered form. It does not apply to product containing turmeric ingredients, e.g. capsules. Turmeric will be sampled by ports on arrival at the Border Control Post (BCP). The BCP will take samples of the imported consignment and organise testing. View this document for full details.

 

Licensing requirements for importers and 1st consignees

If you are importing organic food, feed or drink products into the UK, you will be required to hold an organic processor licence. 1^st consignees,  i.e. those who 1^st physically receive the goods, where different from the importer, also require a licence. Read our standards for full details of import licensing requirements.

If you are a GB based operator and are responsible for trade of goods going directly between other non-EU countries and the EU, you will need to ensure there is an EU business licensed to import organic goods into the EU.

As of the 1st of August 2021, some of the cost incurred for certification required for movements between Northern Ireland and GB can be covered by the UK government Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS). Further guidance on gov.uk can be found here.

If you currently hold a Wholesaler licence and import from the EU, you will require a Processor licence in addition to, or instead of your Wholesaler licence. You can read more about changes for Wholesalers in our Trade News article.

Changes to licenced enterprises for existing licensees

If you already hold a processor licence, you should contact cert@soilassociation.org to ensure that your current licence is scoped for importing from third countries and imported products are identified.

If you are importing and placing an imported product on the GB market, it will need to be listed on your Trading Schedule, either individually or as part of a product category e.g. ‘Ambient grocery products, chilled dairy products’.

If you are importer-processor who imports an ingredient for inclusion in a certified product that is already listed on your Trading Schedule, that ingredient product does not need to be listed separately on your Trading Schedule.

Description of Importing form 

Whether changing your licence or extending scope, if you are not currently certified to import you'll need to have completed a Description of Importing form.

Please contact us at cert@soilassociation.org for further details of how to change or extend scope your existing licence, how to add products to your Trading Schedule or start the application process for a new licence.

• Description of Importing Document post transition period

  Please complete the form if you plan on importing food, feed or drink products from 1st January 2021

  Download the Document

Certificates of Inspection

GB based operator can no longer use TRACES NT for imports. Imports of organic products into GB from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland will require GB Certificates of Inspection (COI) from February 2027. Imports into GB from all other countries currently require a GB paper-based COI. 

• For each consignment you import, a GB PDF COI will need to be completed by the exporter, endorsed by their certifier and be available to the Port Health or Border Control Post on arrival of the consignment. COI’s don’t need to travel with the consignment, but do need to be with the PHA/BCP ready for when the consignment arrives. The GB COI and DEFRA's explanatory notes are available to download below.

COIs are not needed for good movements into from the EU into Northern Ireland, but operators must use the EU TRACESNT system for imports from all non-EU countries (and hold organic certification as importers). Provided businesses are registered Authorised Traders (STAMNI) COIs will not be required for goods exported from GB to Northern Ireland.

• GB CoI Blank Document Template

  Blank GB CoI document for imports into the UK from third countries

  Download it here

• GB CoI Explanatory notes

  Guidance on how to complete the GB CoI

  Read it here

• Extract GB CoI Blank Document Template

  This form is to be used for operators wishing to split consignments into batches

  Learn More Here

• Extract of GB CoI notes

  Guidance on how to complete the blank extract template

  Learn More

Before you import please ensure the following:

• You hold a valid organic food and drink licence
• Your product are in scope of the TCA
• Your exporter is aware of the new requirement for GB COIs
• The GB CoI is completed and sent for approval to the Third Country Certifiers before the good leave
• If you are the importer you have notified the Port Health Authority (PHA) /Border Control Post (BCP) ahead of the organic shipment arriving (at least 24hours in advance)
• You can use the PDF copy of your GB COI in order to clear the goods with PHA/BCP. They will  sign, approved and then release the goods

It is important to ensure you are aware of the scope of TCA between UK/EU before you import into GB from the EU or N.I. You can find out more details here.

If you are importing from a Non-EU country into GB you are required to complete a GB COI before the goods leave the third country. If you import organic products without an approved GB COI this could result in your goods being delayed or loosing organic status. There is currently a grace period for GB COIs for imports from EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland until February 2027.

DEFRA’s guidance on importing from EU/EEA/NI and from Non-EU countries into GB can be found below:

• DEFRA Step-by-step guidance on importing organic

  Read them here

• DEFRA FAQS: Importing organic produce into Great Britain

  Read them here

• DEFRA Guidance on importing and exporting organic food

  Read them here

For more information on food importing and exporting after Brexit visit the .gov webpages