Guidance

Import of apiculture products for apiculture use - Import Information Note (IIN) ABP/13

Published 2 December 2024

1. General information 

This Import Information Note (IIN) must be read in conjunction with the IIN for general information for imports of animal by-products (ABPs), which provides information on pre-notifications, veterinary checks, risk categories and more. 

References to European Union (EU) legislation within this document are references to direct EU legislation which has been assimilated in Great Britain (assimilated direct legislation), as defined in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 and can be viewed on the UK legislation website. 

2. Scope

Import conditions for apiculture by-products intended exclusively for use in apiculture (beekeeping). 

Apiculture by-products are defined in Regulation (EU) 142/2011 as honey, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis or pollen not intended for human consumption.  

Please note:

• beeswax in the form of honeycomb is not permitted to be imported
  
  
• for imports of beeswax for technical, cosmetic and purposes other than feeding to farmed animals please see guidance in IIN ABP/32
  
  
• if you wish to import apiculture by-products for purposes not listed above, you may require an authorisation issued by Defra. Please contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Imports team (see Section 7)

Apiculture by-products must only be derived from Category 3 materials referred to in Article 10(e) of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009. 

3. Production standards 

The apiculture products must have been produced in accordance with the requirements of Annex XIII, Chapter IX of Regulation (EU) 142/2011.  

They must also meet the requirements provided for in Article 8(a) of Directive 92/95. 

The apiculture by-products must also have either been:

• subjected to a temperature of -12°C or a lower temperature for at least 24 hours
• in the case of beeswax, processed in accordance with processing methods 1 to 5 or 7, as set out in Annex IV, Chapter III of Regulation (EU) 142/2011, and refined before importation

4. Country of origin 

Imports are permitted from trading partners listed in documents published by the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers for :

• non-EU countries
• EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries

Apiculture products can come from countries listed in the document for fresh meat of ungulates and (CM) Cameroon. 

5. Approved establishments 

Products must be produced in an establishment approved to export to Great Britain (GB). Importers should check prior to importation that the premises are listed on the correct list.  

Find consolidated lists of approved plants (excluding the EU)

Find approved EU ABP establishments 

If the establishment or plant is not listed, importers are urged to contact the company concerned, who should contact their competent authority immediately. If the plant or establishment of origin is not included on the appropriate list when veterinary checks are carried out the consignment is likely to be held and could be rejected and re-exported or destroyed. 

6. Health certification  

Imports to GB must be accompanied by the appropriate health certificate based on the GB model health certificate.  

Model health certificates for other animal by-products

This requirement applies to products in the high and medium risk categories. Find information about import risk categories, inspection rates and related rules for animals and animal products imported from:

• the EU to GB
• non-EU countries to GB 

7. Contact for further information  

For more information about import requirements, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) imports team:

Centre for International Trade - Carlisle
Eden Bridge House
Lowther Street
Carlisle
CA3 8DX

Email: imports@apha.gov.uk 

Telephone: 03000 200 301