Certification Logistics Pilot: import requirements
Guidance on the import requirements for businesses participating in the pilot, including guidance for certifying officers.
This guidance is for businesses participating in the Certification Logistics Pilot, which is a module of the Accredited Trusted Trader Scheme.
The Certification Logistics Pilot simplifies the certification process for packaged animal products that move from a consolidation hub in the EU to Great Britain.
Participants can import eligible products using an export health certificate (EHC) from the point of origin of the goods (such as a manufacturing site). They do not need to get the goods re-certified at an EU consolidation hub.
The following businesses are participating in the pilot:
- DFDS Logistics Limited
- ECS European Containers
- Jan Zandbergen UK Ltd
- KM Distribution Centre Ltd
- Lidl UK Trading Ltd
- Nagel Group Ltd
- Stef Langdons Ltd
- Thermotraffic UK Ltd
If participating businesses do not follow these rules they may be unable to stay in the pilot.
Eligible goods
This pilot is only for medium-risk products of animal origin for human consumption and medium-risk animal by-products. They must be packaged and certified in the EU.
The pilot excludes high risk POAO and ABP. Check the animal product risk categories.
Document requirements
For eligible goods you must:
- use an EHC from the point of origin of the goods (rather than the point of dispatch)
- add the trusted trader declaration and your trusted trader reference number to your import notification on IPAFFS
The point of origin is the final manufacturing or processing site. The EHC must be accompanied by additional information specific to the pilot.
Trusted trader declaration
The trusted trader declaration is provided by Defra directly to participants. It must contain:
- unit-level identifiers to identify the goods that are included on the EHC and are travelling on a particular load to Great Britain
- relevant consignee details
- a declaration that you have ensured the safety and security of the goods during their end to end journey
Health certificates
The health certificate requirements for goods imported under the pilot are similar to existing requirements. They must include some additional information from the certifying officer.
Consolidation hub requirements
Consolidation hub used in the pilot must be:
- listed as approved establishments to export animals and animal products to Great Britain
- registered or approved by the competent authority of the country it is in
The UK-based part of your business must take responsibility for the EU-based consolidation hubs involved in the goods’ journey to Great Britain.
Supply chain assurance and traceability requirements
You must write and implement standard operating procedures. The supply chain must allow for products to be easily identified and traced.
Your systems and procedures must allow for:
- products to be traced from the place they were originally processed or manufactured to their intended destination
- consignments and products to be verified at arrival
- products to be rejected, withdrawn, or recalled during intake, storage and dispatch
You must keep records that show you conduct internal audits to check you comply with the requirements of the pilot.
Food safety management requirements
You must:
- follow hazard analysis and critical control point procedures
- maintain legal temperature controls throughout the process from intake to dispatch for all products and rooms - this includes marshalling areas, as well as chillers and freezers
- have processes to distinguish between products which are eligible for CLP and products which are not, during storage
Products which are intended for sale in Great Britain must be hygienically stored in dedicated areas.
The design and layout of the facilities must allow for good food hygiene practices and protect against contamination.
You must keep:
- records which show your procedures and staff are effective and competent
- evidence that staff are trained and supervised
Guidance for certifying officers
Certifying officer should complete a health certificate as normal, except for information about the:
- consignee or importer (usually box I.5)
- place of destination (usually box I.12)
- means of transport (usually box I.15)
- border control posts (BCPs) (usually box I.16)
Consignee and place of destination
For the consignee box you should provide one of the following:
- the EU consolidation hub from where the goods will be dispatched directly to Great Britain
- the consolidation hub (if destination is not known at the time of certification)
- the actual destination of first unloading when the goods arrive to Great Britain
For place of destination, include the details of the representative of the CLP participant in the UK.
The actual consignees and place of destination must then be provided by the CLP participant in a separate document, the trusted trader declaration, and in the IPAFFS notification for the goods before they move from the consolidation hub to Great Britain.
Standard certification is an optional field.
Means of transport
In the means of transport box, write one of the following:
- the means of transport in which the goods departed the establishment of manufacture, where the EHC was signed
- ‘groupage’
You do not need to include the final means of transport to Great Britain.
Border control posts (BCPs)
You should include the border control post (BCP) (usually box I.16) where the goods will enter Great Britain, if known.
If this is not known at the time of certification, provide the BCP that the importer thinks is most likely. If you are using Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), select country and then United Kingdom.
The actual BCP must be provided in the IPAFFS notification, before the goods move to Great Britain from the consolidation hub.
Complete the rest of the EHC as normal
You should complete the rest of the EHC as normal, as if the goods were moving directly from the point of certification to Great Britain.
Complete the country of origin (usually box I.7) in line with existing guidance. Enter the country where the goods were produced, manufactured or packaged.
Complete the place of loading (usually box I.13) to identify the place where the goods are loaded into their means of transportation to the consolidation hub. This is the place where the goods are being certified.
Do not list the consolidation hub which will be the place of final dispatch to Great Britain for goods moved under CLP. This information will be provided by the CLP participant in the common health entry document (CHED) before the goods move to Great Britain from the consolidation hub.
Complete the date and time of departure (usually box I.14) and means of transport (usually box I.15) in line with existing guidance. Provide the means of transport and date of departure of the goods as they depart the place where they are being certified.
Requirement to add unit-level identifiers to health certificates
You must add unit-level identifiers to health certificates for consignments in the pilot.
For example, a list of unique identifiers recording all the pallets, boxes or containers of goods certified under that EHC.
The importer must use these identifiers later to identify which units from the health certificate are moving in any particular load to Great Britain.
The exact nature and format of the identifiers is up to the importer and their suppliers. They must usually be provided at the level that goods will be divided at the consolidation hub. For example, pallet identifiers if the goods will be divided at pallet level, or box identifiers if the goods are to be divided at box level.
Consignments can only be divided at the consolidation hub at the level of the unit-level identifiers used. For example, if pallet level identifiers are used, goods must be kept in their original pallets. They cannot be divided into boxes.
Adding unit-level identifiers to the certificate
You should incorporate unit-level identifiers into the EHC under ‘container no.’ (box I.19) with the prefix “CLP ULI” followed by the ULI number.
If the identifiers cannot all be inserted, a schedule to the EHC should be created with the full list.
For electronic EHCs, where a verifiable PDF EHC will accompany the consignment, the schedule should be uploaded in accompanying documents (usually box I.17).
Verifiable PDF certificates for imports of products of animal origin from the EU and EFTA countries will be accepted from TRACES. Check the list of countries Great Britain will accept validated PDF GB health certificates from.
For both electronic and physical EHCs, you should:
- prepare the schedule according to existing guidance for schedules to EHCs
- include the EHC reference number on each page along with stamp and signatures as appropriate
Updates to this page
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We've updated the guidance for certifying officers.
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The businesses that are participating in the Certification Logistics Module Pilot (CLP) have changed.
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First published.