Guidance

Moving ozone-depleting substances between Great Britain and Northern Ireland

What you need to do to trade ozone-depleting substances (ODS) between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland.

• From: Environment Agency and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 24 February 2021
• Last updated: 28 November 2022 — See all updates

Moving ODS from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

To move ODS from Great Britain to Northern Ireland (which is in the European Union (EU) ODS system) you’ll need to comply with:

• EU quota, registration and import licence requirements
• Great Britain export licence requirements

If you import ODS to Northern Ireland, you must:

• register on the EU ODS Licensing System
• have an EU import licence and sufficient EU quota to cover the amount of ODS you’re importing
• make a customs declaration - you can use the Trader Support Service
• include imports from Great Britain in your annual EU ODS report

If you export ODS from Great Britain, you must:

• register for an ozone-depleting substances (ODS) account
• have a Great Britain ODS export licence for each consignment
• include exports to Northern Ireland in your annual Great Britain ODS report

Moving ODS from Northern Ireland to Great Britain

To move ODS from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, you’ll need to comply with:

• Great Britain registration, quota and import licence requirements
• EU export licence requirements

If you import ODS to Great Britain, you must:

• register for an ozone-depleting substances (ODS) account
• have sufficient Great Britain quota to cover the amount of ODS you’re importing
• have a Great Britain ODS import licence
• make a customs declaration - you can use the Trader Support Service
• include imports from Northern Ireland in your annual Great Britain ODS report

If you export ODS from Northern Ireland, you must:

• register on the EU ODS licensing system
• have an EU export licence for each consignment
• include exports to Great Britain in your annual EU ODS report

Customs declaration and the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS)

Before moving ODS from Northern Ireland ports to Great Britain, you must:

1. Make a customs declaration on the Customs Declaration Service - this generates a declaration unique consignment reference (DUCR).

2. Create a new goods movement reference for the move using the GVMS - the haulier will need the DUCR to do this.

Published 24 February 2021
Last updated 28 November 2022 + show all updates

1. 28 November 2022

   Added the Environment Agency as a lead organisation. Updated the name of the ODS Licensing System to the ODS service. Added needing a Great Britain ‘import licence’ to moving ODS from Northern Ireland to Great Britain. Made the steps to get a Customs declaration and the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) clearer.

2. 18 May 2021

   Updated moving ODS from Northern Ireland to Great Britain section with new requirements for customs declaration and using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

3. 24 February 2021

   First published.