Importing animal by-products (ABP) to the UK – IPAFFS, health certificate and notification deadlines

Importing animal by-products (ABP) to the United Kingdom is one of the most strictly regulated categories of goods in international trade. It covers a broad range of materials of animal origin that are not intended for human consumption — from gelatine and technical fats, through meat and bone meal, bones and horns, to slaughterhouse waste and apiary products that do not meet food standards. Every ABP consignment entering the UK must be pre-notified via the IPAFFS system (Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System), accompanied by an appropriate health certificate issued by the competent authority in the exporting country, and subjected to a sanitary inspection at a designated Border Control Post (BCP). Failure to notify in time, an incorrect commodity category, or incomplete documentation risks detention of the consignment, costly delays, and in extreme cases — return or destruction of the entire load at the importer's expense. This guide explains step by step how to carry out an ABP import to the UK correctly, what the border authorities expect, and how a customs agent can help you fulfil all the formalities.

What are animal by-products (ABP) and why are they subject to special regulations?

ABP are animal materials not intended for human consumption. Their special status arises from the potential health risk they pose: they can carry infectious diseases such as BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), foot-and-mouth disease, or African swine fever. For this reason, both the UK (Regulation EC 1069/2009 retained in domestic law after Brexit) and the EU operate a three-tier risk categorisation system.

ABP categories

Category	Risk level	Examples	Permitted uses
Category 1 (Cat. 1)	Highest	BSE-positive materials, catering waste from international flights	Disposal, incineration
Category 2 (Cat. 2)	High	Manure, stomach contents, slaughterhouse waste (other than Cat. 1)	Composting, biogas production, organic fertilisers after treatment
Category 3 (Cat. 3)	Lowest	Hides, bones, gelatine, technical fats from slaughterhouses, pet food	Pet food, fertilisers, technical products

The vast majority of commercial imports concern Category 3 — that is gelatine (HS 3503), technical fats (HS 1501–1506), meat and bone meal (HS 2301), horns and bones (HS 0506), and fish oils (HS 1504). Cat. 1 and Cat. 2 goods may only enter the UK for strictly defined purposes (disposal) and require additional authorisations.

IPAFFS — the pre-notification requirement and deadlines

IPAFFS (Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System) is the UK's IT system replacing the EU's TRACES. It is the only legal pathway for notifying an ABP import to the UK from third countries and from the EU.

Who must submit the notification?

The obligation to submit a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) via IPAFFS lies with the importer or their authorised representative (customs agent). The notification must be submitted at least 1 working day before the planned arrival of the consignment at the BCP. In practice, for loads arriving on a Monday, notification must be submitted no later than the previous Friday by noon — many BCPs do not accept notifications submitted outside office hours.

How to submit a notification in IPAFFS

1. Register on the IPAFFS portal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-of-products-animals-food-and-feed-system
2. Select the appropriate CHED type: CHED-P (animal products), CHED-A (live animals), CHED-D (food and feed not of animal origin)
3. Enter the consignment details: country of origin, ABP category, HS code, weight, health certificate
4. Specify the destination BCP through which the consignment will enter
5. Submit and retain the CHED reference number — it will be required at the border inspection

What documents are required when importing ABP?

Complete documentation is the foundation of smooth clearance. For most ABP consignments from third countries (including from the EU post-Brexit) the following are required:

Document	Issued by	Notes
Health Certificate	Official veterinarian in the exporting country	Must comply with a UK-approved model
CHED in IPAFFS	Importer / customs agent	At least 1 working day before arrival
Commercial Invoice	Exporter	With commodity description, HS code, value
Packing List	Exporter	Net/gross weights, quantities
—	Export Health Certificate (EHC)	As above — in some countries this is the same document as the Health Certificate
SAD / Entry Summary Declaration	Customs agent	Customs declaration in the CDS (Customs Declaration Service)

The health certificate must comply with current UK requirements — approved models are available in the DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) or APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) database. For products from the EU, different model certificates apply than for countries outside the EU — check the current list of approvals before commissioning the document.

BCP inspection — what do the border authorities check?

Upon arrival in the UK, every ABP consignment is directed to a BCP where a three-stage inspection is carried out:

1. Documentary check

The veterinary officer verifies the CHED, health certificate, and commercial invoice. They check the consistency of data (country of origin, category, weight, animal species, intended use of the goods).

2. Identity check

The contents of the consignment are compared with the description in the documents. The officer checks the labelling of packaging, bag colours (Cat. 1 = black, Cat. 2 = yellow, Cat. 3 = green) and seals.

3. Physical check

A sample of the goods is taken for laboratory testing. The frequency of physical checks depends on the risk category of the product and the country of origin — for Cat. 3 from low-risk countries it may be 1–5%, for Cat. 1 — 100%.

Waiting time for laboratory results can range from a few hours to several days. During this time the goods must remain in the BCP zone (at the importer's expense — storage and handling fees are charged by the BCP operator).

Penalties for failure to notify or errors in IPAFFS

Failure to meet IPAFFS requirements or errors in documentation may result in:

• Detention of the consignment — until documents are completed or discrepancies resolved
• Refusal of entry — the consignment is returned to the country of dispatch or directed to disposal
• Administrative fines — imposed by APHA or border authorities
• BCP storage costs — often several hundred pounds per day
• Blocking of future consignments — the operator may be placed on a heightened-risk list

Under UK Regulation on Animal By-Products (The Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013 and equivalents for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), importing ABP without notification carries a penalty of up to £5,000 or criminal prosecution.

Common mistakes when importing ABP — and how to avoid them

The most frequent errors we encounter when importing ABP from Poland and other EU countries to the UK:

1. Submitting the CHED too late — a notification submitted on the day of arrival is rejected by the BCP
2. Incorrect ABP category — e.g. classifying a Cat. 2 material as Cat. 3 results in immediate detention
3. Discrepancy between the health certificate and the commercial invoice — different species descriptions, weights or intended use
4. Use of an unapproved health certificate model — the UK regularly updates its list of approved models
5. Importing through an unauthorised point of entry — ABP consignments may ONLY enter through designated BCPs (e.g. Dover Western Docks, Heathrow, Tilbury)

Cost of ABP clearance to the UK

Import clearance for ABP includes standard customs fees and additional costs associated with veterinary inspection:

Service	Indicative cost
Import customs declaration	£45–150
BCP documentary and identity check fee	£30–80
Physical check fee (if required)	£100–300 (depending on weight and category)
BCP storage (if required)	£50–200/day

The figures quoted are indicative — an exact quote will be provided once documents have been submitted.

The total cost of handling an ABP consignment through an experienced customs agent (excluding BCP fees) is typically £45–150 per clearance, depending on the complexity of the documentation and the number of commodity lines.