Declare substances of human origin for transplant for UK import or export
Find out how to make an import or export declaration for human organs, blood, blood products, tissues and cells needed for emergency transplant or transfusion.
Hospitals, tissue or blood establishments, clinics or their representatives importing or exporting human organs, blood, blood products, tissues and cells will need to make an import or export declaration.
You can make a ‘declaration by conduct’ if you’re importing or exporting substances into or from the UK and:
- it is for an emergency medical procedure that is time critical
- the journey cannot be planned to include time to make a full import or full export declaration
You must make a import or export declaration if they’re not needed for an emergency situation.
Before you start
You must make sure that the substances you’re importing or exporting are:
- needed for emergency transplant, grafting or transfusion
- in secure packaging and clearly labelled
You should also check that substances you’re importing are eligible for relief.
How to declare substances of human origin imported into, or exported from, Great Britain
You can make a declaration by conduct.
To make the declaration, the substances must be loaded on to the mode of transport that will bring them into, or take them from, Great Britain. For example, if an organ is donated in Italy for a patient in Great Britain, the declaration is made by placing the organ on the plane in Italy.
The substances do not need to be with someone (also known as ‘accompanied’) on the whole journey.
A third party can load the substances on to the mode of transport. This could be an employee of the airline or rail company, or a courier.
How to declare substances of human origin imported into, or exported from, Northern Ireland
You’ll not need to make a full import or full export declaration at all for substances that are:
- imported into Great Britain from Northern Ireland
- imported into Northern Ireland from the EU
- exported from Northern Ireland to the EU
You can make a declaration by conduct for substances that are moved between Northern Ireland and countries outside the EU, or imported into Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
The individual who brought the substances into, or took them from, Northern Ireland must have permission from the hospital, tissue or blood establishment, or clinic. They will make the declaration by:
- walking through a customs control point (this can be a green channel signed ‘nothing to declare’) with the substances, if they’re an individual on foot
- driving or being driven past a customs control point with the substances inside their vehicle, if they’re in a vehicle
- continuing their onward journey, if there are no customs control points
If a fast parcel operator or other courier service is used to transport the substances on arrival, they will need to make a full import or full export declaration if the substances are not carried by someone (also known as ‘unaccompanied’).
After you’ve made a declaration
You must keep records for a minimum of 4 years.
Make a full import or full export declaration if it’s not an emergency situation
If substances are not needed for an emergency medical procedure you must make a full import or full export declaration.
If you are moving substances from Northern Ireland to Great Britain or between Northern Ireland and the EU, you do not need to make a full import or full export declaration.
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Updates to this page
Published 10 May 2021Last updated 29 November 2021 + show all updates
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The guidance has been updated to clarify that you can make a declaration by conduct if it's for an emergency medical procedure and the journey cannot be planned to include time to make a full import or full export declaration, and how to declare substances of human origin imported into, or exported from, Great Britain and how to declare substances of human origin imported into, or exported from, Northern Ireland.
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First published.