Border Target Operating Model – getting it right at the border

New import controls were implemented on 30 April 2024. This gives you operational information on the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).? ??

• A big thank you from us and happy holidays?
• Things to note for the holiday period??
• Update: Peste des petits (PDP) ruminants in Bulgaria?
• Update: Border Services update: HMRC’s GVMS?
• Reminder: Import Requirements for ASF-Affected Zones?

Resource for Traders?

• How to comply with the BTOM and the new import controls that are now in place?
• Resources to help you comply? ?
• Contact points for urgent BTOM queries

A big thank you from us and happy holidays?

As we reach the end of 2024, we would like to extend our sincere thanks for your continued cooperation and support in implementing the Border Target Operating Model this year. Your commitment to compliance has been instrumental in strengthening our biosecurity measures and protecting our borders.?

?This will be our final weekly newsletter for the year, with communications resuming on 9 January 2025.?

?We wish you and your teams a peaceful holiday season, and a prosperous New Year.?

Things to note for the holiday period?

• ?Sevington BCP is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, therefore there will be no change to its opening hours throughout the holiday period.
• If you have any questions throughout the holiday period, please continue to contact the provided Contact points for urgent BTOM queries, which can be found at the bottom of this email.

Update: Peste des petits (PDP) ruminants in Bulgaria?

Imports of the following ovine and caprine commodities from Bulgaria are suspended following an outbreak of peste des petits ruminants that was confirmed on 25 November 2024:? ??

• live animals? ?
• germplasm? ?

• raw milk and raw milk products (including raw colostrum)??

?Safeguard declarations to suspend the import of untreated wool and hair and fresh or chilled (untreated) skins and hides from Bulgaria will be published here: Imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products: topical issues - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)??

Individuals will be unable bring any sheep or goat milk and milk products from Bulgaria to Great Britain for personal consumption, please see more at Imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products: topical issues .??

Please see Imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products: topical issues for more information.? ?

Border Services update from HMRC – Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GMVS)?

Following weather damage caused by Storm Darragh, Holyhead Port has needed to temporarily close for urgent repair works and is not expected to open until at least 15 January 2025.?

HMRC continues to work with Holyhead Port, the affected maritime carriers and with Border Force to monitor the situation. They recognise the temporary closure of this commercial port location will cause disruption, and they are actively engaged with these stakeholders to support and facilitate contingency arrangements where possible.?

HMRC have confirmed that the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) and Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) systems continue to operate without issue.?

HMRC have agreed contingency routes with affected carriers, and this means your logistics agent and haulier may need to make some changes to routes they select on GVMS. Full details are set out below, but Holyhead should not be used for either imports or exports. HMRC are reassuring users that they will not be penalised for selecting the routes set out below while Holyhead remains closed. Agents and hauliers should check the sailing schedule of the carrier they wish to travel with for further details during this period.?

Imports from Ireland to Great Britain?

Declarants should continue to submit import declarations into GB as normal. Please be assured that where a contingency arrangement has been agreed, your declaration will automatically update to reflect the port you are arriving at.?

Hauliers should select the following routes on GVMS:?

• ?For journeys from Dublin – Fishguard, select the ‘Rosslare – Fishguard’ route on GVMS?
• For journeys from Dublin – Birkenhead, select the ‘Dublin – Birkenhead (Liverpool)’ route on GVMS?

• For journeys from Dublin – Heysham, select the ‘Dublin – Heysham’ route on GVMS.?

?Exports from Great Britain to Ireland?

?Declarants should ensure the Arrived Export location declared on the declaration matches the Arrived Export location that the goods will leave from and the route that is selected in GVMS. If the Arrived Export location of exit does not match between the declaration and GVMS, the Goods Movement Reference (GMR) will not be allowed to check-in as the declaration cannot be correctly confirmed as departed.?

If the location the goods will leave from changes after an export declaration has been submitted, the declarant must cancel their CDS Arrived Export declaration and submit a new CDS Arrived Export declaration with the revised routing Arrived Export location code in Data Element 5/23.???

Hauliers should select the following routes on GVMS:?

• ?For journeys from Fishguard – Dublin, select the ‘Fishguard – Rosslare’ route on GVMS?
• For journeys from Birkenhead – Dublin, select the ‘Birkenhead (Liverpool) – Dublin’ route on GVMS?

• For journeys from Heysham – Dublin, select the ‘Heysham – Dublin’ route on GVMS.?

?HMRC will communicate with you further in January and we know more about when Holyhead Port will reopen.?

REMINDER: Import Requirements for ASF-Affected Zones

The UK requires all meat products from African Swine Fever (ASF)-affected zones to meet specified treatment and safeguard measures before entering Great Britain (GB). Non-compliance may result in delays, inspections, or refusal of entry. Traders must ensure products and health certificates meet the latest standards.?

For guidance, consult the and APHA Official Veterinarian Guidance Page and key documents: 2024-54 (GBHC352 and GBHC330), 2024-46 (updated porcine product treatment requirements), and 2024-44 (certification guidance).??

For further support, refer to the 'Contact Points for Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) Queries.' Section below.?

We will issue further trader-facing guidance on this shortly.

Resource for Traders?

How to comply with the BTOM and the new import controls that are now in place:? ???

1. Register for IPAFFS online on GOV UK if you haven’t already done so. The person or business completing the CHED Part 1 import notification must have a UK address to register for IPAFFS.? ??

2. Know your risk category – use the online guidance to find the risk category of your commodity.? ??

3. Ensure that your EU supply chain is providing you with health certificates and/or phytosanitary certificates.? ?

4. Consider using a digitally signed and verifiable GB export health certificate (EHC) in place of the paper version of the certificate for live animals and POAO imports from EU and EFTA countries where the PDF health certificate can be electronically verified. We will accept verifiable PDF certificates from TRACES and other EU/EFTA MS systems listed on GOV UK. You can still use a paper GB health certificate.? ?

Please be aware that the easement period for sending scanned copies of health certificates, ended on 31st July 2024.? ?

If you or your agent uploads and attaches a scanned copy of a paper health certificate to the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) on IPAFFS and submits it, you will be required to present the original paper certificate to the Port Health Authority (PHA) or local authority (LA) at the Border Control Post (BCP) in advance of??the consignment’s arrival into GB, or upon the consignment’s arrival in GB if advised to do so by the PHA/LA.??

Please note: if the original paper certificate is not available for checks on entry into GB, the consignment may be held until the original paper certificate is provided to the PHA/LA at the BCP.??To avoid unnecessary administrative burden and allow for a smoother flow through the BCP, you are strongly encouraged to use verifiable PDF health certificates.? ?

5. Correctly submit your import notification in IPAFFS:? ?

• Watch the webinar recording for Importing HRFNAO via the EU to GB: the new CHED Part 1 notification.? ??

• Watch the webinar recording for Importing animal products from the EU to GB: New CHED Part 1 notification.? ? ??

• Read our guidance on Import Notifications.? ? ?

6. Remind your freight forwarder or customs agent to double-check that the correct CHED import notification reference in the correct format, and the correct doc code, has been entered in the customs declaration for your consignments of EU goods, and that commodity codes and net weights are also included in the declaration. This will be important from 30 April when goods start to arrive through ports with a designated BCP.? ?

Detailed Guidance? ??

Our detailed guidance has been updated with information on how to comply with your new legal responsibilities for:? ? ? ?

• importing live animals and animal products to Great Britain? ? ? ?

• importing plants and plant products from the EU to Great Britain? ? ? ?

• importing plants and plant products from non-EU countries to Great Britain? ? ?

Read our Leaflets to help businesses prepare for a new approach to importing goods to GB under the BTOM.?

Visit our YouTube channel and watch recordings of our previous webinars for traders.?

Read the Frequently Asked Questions we have received about IPAFFS and Health Certificates.? ? ??

Contact points for urgent border target operating model (BTOM) queries???

?Any urgent BTOM /import queries for plants and plant products across England and Wales should be directed to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), by email, in the first instance: [email protected]??

?Alternatively, you can contact them by telephone: +44 (0) 3000 200 301? ?

Any urgent BTOM/import queries for animal products should be directed to the Port Health Authority (PHA) at your nominated Border Control Post (BCP). Find your PHA contact details at your nominated BCP on this map.?? ? ??

If you need technical help with IPAFFS you should call the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) helpline on 0330 041 6999 or email [email protected] ??

*Defra Personal Information Charter: here?

Kind regards,?

Trader Engagement & Readiness Team? Biosecurity, Borders and Trade Programme? Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs?