Guidance

Movement Assistance Scheme: get help with moving agrifood goods to Northern Ireland

Get advice and help to meet new requirements if you're a trader, and understand how you can claim money back if you provide an inspection and certification service.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
2 March 2021
Last updated
29 September 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Traders: how to get advice and which costs are covered

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Certifiers: claim money for inspecting and certifying goods

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Details

The Movement Assistance Scheme means that if you’re:

  • a trader moving agrifood goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for some inspections and certificates or some other costs you incur because of the Northern Ireland Protocol
  • an official veterinarian or other certifier, you must not charge for some inspections, certificates and some other costs, such as a scrapie or Brucella ovis test - you can invoice the government up to a set amount

The following types of goods are included in the Movement Assistance Scheme:

  • live animals and animal products
  • plants and plant products
  • some categories of high risk food and feed not of animal origin
  • organic products

The scheme has been extended to 30 June 2025.

Find out about labelling requirements under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme.

Published 2 March 2021
Last updated 29 September 2023 + show all updates

  1. The closing date for the Movement Assistance Scheme has been extended to 30 June 2025.

  2. Added a link to the reimbursement of Brucella ovis testing costs application form.

  3. Updated the example of a test included in the MAS, Brucella ovis. Updated the guidance for traders on how to claim for Brucella ovis testing costs under the MAS. Updated the guidance for certifiers on how to claim for Brucella ovis testing costs and support attestations under the MAS.

  4. We've added how to claim some scrapie qualifying status costs back if you have scrapie qualifying status.

  5. Information added to explain how traders can get reimbursed for costs of getting support attestations for movements of agri-food goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland from 27 September 2021.

  6. We've updated the guidance for traders and certifiers. Traders can receive financial support for the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) sample testing and certification costs required for all individual seed lots traded from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Exporters in Great Britain can receive financial support to meet new costs if they move organics to Northern Ireland only. Importers in Northern Ireland can also get financial support to meet new costs they incur to receive these goods from Great Britain.

  7. A trader moving agrifood goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland does not need to pay for some inspections and certificates or some other costs.

  8. Added that some categories of high risk food and feed not of animal origin as goods now included in the scheme.

  9. First published.