Food export (POAO) to the UK – meat, dairy, and health certificates [2026]

Exporting rolls or pasta is one thing. Exporting meat, cold cuts, cheese or eggs (Products of Animal Origin - POAO) is a completely different matter. The UK has fully implemented the BTOM (Border Target Operating Model), which means full sanitary controls at the border for goods from the EU.

Three pillars of POAO export

To send a pallet of sausage to London, you must coordinate three elements: 1. EHC (Export Health Certificate) – Health Certificate issued by the District Veterinary Officer in Poland. 2. IPAFFS – Import declaration in the UK sanitary system (done by the importer in the UK). 3. CHED-P – Entry document (Common Health Entry Document).

Step by step

1. Importer in the UK reports planned import in the IPAFFS system (at least 24h before arrival). Generates a submission number (e.g., UNN...). 2. You (Exporter) in Poland you order an inspection from the District Veterinary Officer. 3. The officer examines the goods and issues paper Health Certificate (EHC). Must be on official letterhead, signed and stamped. 4. The original EHC travels with the driver. (Send the scan by email to the customs agent). 5. The driver must enter through a port equipped with BCP (Border Control Post) authorised to inspect the given food category (e.g. Sevington for Dover).

Risk of physical inspection

The system randomly selects vehicles for inspection. If your vehicle is selected, it must pull into the BCP. Inspectors will check:

• Is the temperature in the refrigerated unit compliant with the EHC.
• Are the seals (if applied) intact?
• Do the product labels match the paperwork.

Error in EHC (e.g. typo in establishment number) = goods disposal or return to Poland.

Groupage

"Shop" export (where a pallet contains 50 types of cheeses and cold cuts) is very difficult. Each assortment type may require an EHC entry. Often so-called Linear Schedule (attachment list to the certificate), to avoid printing 100 pages of the certificate.

What the current official guidance means in practice

For operational work, the current procedural rules, declaration fields and relief conditions should be checked directly against the official guidance. For this topic, the core reference points are European Commission, GOV.UK / HMRC.

Official sources

• EU Commission (Customs procedures) — European Commission, 2026-03-04
• UK GOV (Importing into the UK) — GOV.UK / HMRC, 2026-03-04
• GOV.UK: Customs Declaration Service — GOV.UK / HMRC, 2026-03-04