Guidance

Traders: how to get advice and which costs are covered

Updated 29 September 2023

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/movement-assistance-scheme-get-help-with-moving-agrifood-goods-to-northern-ireland/traders-how-to-get-advice-and-which-costs-are-covered

The Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS) means that if you’re a trader moving agri-food goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for:

The scheme will close on 30 June 2025.

The following types of goods are included in the scheme:

There is separate guidance if you inspect and certify these goods, for example if you’re an official veterinarian (OV).

The scheme also covers movements to Northern Ireland through the Republic of Ireland.

Live animals and animal products

If you move live animals or animal products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay the full amount for export health certificates (EHCs).

Support attestations

If you’re a trader and have been told by your certifying officer to get a support attestation (SA) you can get reimbursed for some of the costs.

You’ll need to pay the invoice and then apply to the MAS to be reimbursed. The government will reimburse you up to £150 excluding VAT for each SA. Follow guidance on how to get reimbursed for support attestations.

If you need help with costs of SAs

For queries related to SAs, please contact APHA by email or phone.

Email: MAS_SAinvoices@apha.gov.uk
Telephone: 0208 026 5644

Test for scrapie disease

To get an EHC for sheep, you must carry out the test for scrapie disease. The official veterinarian (OV) will need to see the results of the tests before they can authorise the certification. You do not need to pay the full cost of the scrapie genotype test.

OVs and other official certifiers will not charge you for inspecting and certifying your sheep. Instead, they can invoice the government for the costs of the certificate and scrapie test, up to a set amount.

If you have scrapie qualifying status

Some of the costs of scrapie qualifying status (SQS) are covered by the MAS. These include the:

  • annual membership fee paid to Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
  • cost of vet providing annual flock inspection up to £150 excluding VAT
  • costs associated with fallen stock, including scrapie testing, carcass collection and carcass disposal

You must pay the company that collects the fallen stock and the processing site. You can claim the money back from the government using the SQS reimbursement application form.

Test for Brucella ovis

To get an EHC for uncastrated rams you must carry out a test for Brucella ovis. The OV will need to see a negative test result before they can authorise the certification. The MAS will pay towards:

  • vet administration fees up to £150 plus VAT
  • the cost of the test up to £34 plus VAT

For tests carried out in Great Britain, you will only be charged if the costs exceed these amounts. The certifying OV will invoice the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for these costs.

For tests carried out in Northern Ireland, you must pay for the test and apply to be reimbursed by APHA. You can claim the costs back using the Brucella ovis reimbursement application form.

Guidance on moving animals and animal products

Read guidance on the certificates you need and what you need to do to move animals and animal products:

Plants or plant products

If your business is moving plants or plant products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for the phytosanitary certificates (PCs). Government inspectors will not charge you for inspecting and certifying your goods.

If you move fruit, vegetables or cut flowers from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you may be eligible for the plant health exports audited trader scheme (PHEATS). This means you’ll be able to do your own inspections and apply for phytosanitary certificates to be issued.

You do not need to pay for:

  • an inspection fee when you first register with PHEATS
  • auditing or monitoring fees (charged per audit)

You can get financial support for International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) sample testing and certification. You need both of these to move individual seed lots from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Read guidance on what you need to do to move plants and plant products.

Organic products

If your business moves organic products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for a certificate of inspection (COI). Organic control bodies will not charge you for inspecting and certifying the goods. Instead, they can invoice the government for the costs.

Use the Trade Control and Expert System NT (Traces NT) to apply for COIs.

You’ll pay a registration fee when you register with an organic control body that’s based in the UK. If you intend to move goods outside of Great Britain, you’ll need to pay for an exporter licence. If you’re a business based in Northern Ireland and you receive goods from Great Britain, you’ll need to pay for an importer licence.

You may receive financial help from the government for importer and exporter licensing costs you incur to:

  • move organics from Great Britain solely to Northern Ireland
  • receive organics in Northern Ireland solely from Great Britain

This is because before the UK and EU implemented the Northern Ireland Protocol, you would not have incurred these costs.

You’ll need to pay the full registration fee to an organic control body and then claim back the importer and exporter cost one year after you paid your registration fee.

Read guidance on the requirements you need to meet when moving organic products.

If you need help moving organic products

If you’re moving organic products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you can contact Defra or your organic control body.

HRFNAO

If your business moves the following categories of high risk food and feed not of animal origin from Great Britain to Northern Ireland you do not need to pay for a certificate or lab sampling costs:

Local authorities will not charge you for inspecting and certifying the goods.

Read guidance on the certificates you need and what you need to do to move HRFNAO.

If you need help moving HRFNAO

If you’re moving HRFNAO you can contact Defra or your local authority.

Contact Defra

Contact Defra for advice on paying for certificates or inspections.

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