Export or move animal bones, protein and other by-products
What you need to do to export or move animal bones, protein and other by-products.
This guidance applies to businesses in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) exporting or moving animal by-products (ABP) to, or through:
- the EU
- non-EU countries
- Northern Ireland
Some countries may have import rules for certain goods. You can check by talking to your importer or getting help researching your export market.
In most cases, you’ll need an export health certificate (EHC) or model declaration form to export ABP.
There are some types of ABP you cannot export, and some cases where you do not need a certificate.
You need to follow different rules for exporting or moving:
- ABP from endangered animals
- products that will be used as food
ABP you cannot export or move
You cannot export:
- ABP and derived products destined for incineration or landfill
- ABP and derived products to third countries which are not members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, for use in a biogas or composting plant
- category 1 and 2 ABP (except for a limited range of products)
Export or move ABP to the EU or Northern Ireland
You may need an EHC or model declaration form to:
- export ABP from Great Britain to the EU
- move ABP from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
- transit through the EU and Northern Ireland
You also need to:
- get your goods checked at an EU border control post (BCP) or Northern Ireland point of entry in the first country you enter
- make sure your EU or Northern Ireland based import agent has notified the BCP or Northern Ireland point of entry that your consignment is arriving - check with the BCP or Northern Ireland point of entry for how much notice needs to be given
- comply with wider HMRC guidance on customs requirements for exporting to the EU
- follow HMRC guidance for moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
General exporting rules
Make sure you follow wider business guidance for exporting to the EU.
Additional rules
If you’re moving or exporting ABP from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland, you must make sure:
- mammalian processed animal protein has been processed in a region considered as posing a negligible BSE risk through method 1 (pressure sterilisation)
- tallow for non-feed use has a marker using glycerol triheptanonate
Check if you need an EHC
To export or move ABP, you’ll need to check the EHC finder to get either:
- an EHC
- a model declaration form
If you find an EHC, follow the EHC process to export.
If you cannot find an EHC, you’ll need to contact the competent authority in Northern Ireland or the EU country you’re exporting to, in advance, to find out what:
- paperwork you’ll need to fill in
- rules you need to comply with
The competent authority means the equivalent of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the EU country you’re exporting to. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is the competent authority in Northern Ireland.
If the competent authority says that you need an EHC, you’ll need to get their import conditions. Email the conditions to APHA at exports@apha.gov.uk who’ll arrange an EHC for you.
EU listing of establishments
You need to be listed with the EU if you’re a Great Britain establishment that:
- exports ABP direct to the EU
- supplies other UK establishments that export ABP to the EU
Check the lists of EU approved establishments for:
If you would like your establishment to be listed, contact the ABP team on 03000 200 301 or email them at CSCOneHealthABP@apha.gov.uk.
Checks at EU BCPs or points of entry in Northern Ireland
You must get ABP checked at an EU BCP or point of entry in Northern Ireland.
These checks are made to protect animal and public health
Your goods may be refused entry, seized, destroyed or returned to Great Britain if they arrive at:
- a port in the EU without a BCP where checks cannot be carried out
- an EU BCP that cannot check your type of product
- an EU BCP without the correct documentation
Find the correct BCP for your goods
You must find a BCP that accepts ABP as not all BCPs accept all goods. You’ll need to consider how to redirect your trade route if needed.
Check the full list of EU BCPs.
Give advance notice to EU BCPs or point(s) of entry in Northern Ireland
You’ll need to give EU BCPs or points of entry in Northern Ireland advance notice of goods arriving.
Check with the BCP or point of entry you’re planning to use for how much notice is needed.
Contact your import agent in the EU or Northern Ireland to make sure they notify the BCP through TRACES of the arrival of the consignment.
They must do this within the time limits set out by the BCP or point of entry.
What happens if your ABP fail inspection at a BCP
If your ABP fail inspection because of risks to animal or public health, they will be destroyed immediately. If the goods fail for other reasons, the BCP will:
- notify your importer or agent
- ask them to decide whether your goods should be destroyed or returned to Great Britain
The BCP will not usually contact you directly.
ABP rejected from an EU BCP
ABP rejected at EU BCPs may, subject to a risk assessment, re-enter Great Britain through any point of entry.
Rejected goods are consignments rejected by the competent authority in an EU country. Consignments rejected for commercial reasons cannot be returned as rejected goods.
There are certain documentary requirements to return rejected goods to Great Britain from the EU. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) will notify you if the returned consignment needs to enter through a BCP or can enter through any point of entry.
Document requirements for rejected ABP
To return a consignment email APHA Centre for International Trade (CIT) at imports@apha.gov.uk. In the title of the email state clearly that the message relates to the return of a consignment.
Attach these documents to your email:
- a declaration from the EU BCP describing the reason for refusal of entry
- full details of destination in Great Britain and the intended use or destruction of the returned consignment from the person responsible for the consignment
- the original export certificate for the returned product
- a declaration stating that the consignment has remained sealed with an intact original seal or an official seal applied by the EU BCP
If the consignment did not require an EHC or did not have an EHC you must present a commercial invoice or similar that verifies the returned consignment corresponds with the one that was exported.
You must have an official declaration from the EU BCP if any of the following apply:
- the products have been unloaded, stored, re-loaded in the EU
- the original seal has been replaced
- the products were not originally exported in a sealed container
The official declaration must state the:
- place and date of unloading, storage and re-loading and the seal number put on the container after reloading
- reasons for unloading and storage
The official declaration must confirm that the:
- seal on the vehicle or container of the consignment was only broken for the purpose of official controls
- products were handled only to the extent necessary, and in particular at the appropriate temperature
- products were handled in a way that prevents cross contamination during the official controls
- vehicle or container was immediately re-sealed after the official controls
APHA will assess these documents to decide the conditions of import and if the consignment can be returned through any point of entry or will have to enter through a BCP.
APHA will issue you with a written authorisation. The consignment cannot be returned until you have received this authorisation. You must comply with the conditions of the authorisation.
The imports@apha.gov.uk email address is monitored Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm (excluding public holidays).
Export to non-EU countries
You’ll usually need to complete an EHC and some supporting documents to export ABP to non-EU countries.
Check the EHC finder to see if a certificate exists for your animal or product.
If you find an EHC, follow the EHC process to export.
If you cannot find an EHC for your product, you’ll need to contact the competent authority in the country you’re exporting to, in advance, to find out what:
- paperwork you’ll need to fill in
- rules you need to comply with
If the competent authority says that you need an EHC, you’ll need to get their import conditions. Email the conditions to APHA at exports@apha.gov.uk who’ll arrange an EHC for you.
Transporting ABP
Follow the rules for transporting ABP.
ABP from endangered animals
Use the Species+ tool to search for the animal your by-product is from. Check which annex (A, B, C or D) it’s classified as under EU wildlife trade regulations.
If Species+ says the animal is banned, you cannot export it.
If the species is listed, you may need Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) permits to export the ABP from the UK. Follow the advice on exporting endangered species.
We need your help to improve GOV.UK
If you need to export goods to the EU, or move goods into Northern Ireland, we’d like to hear about your experiences. If you’re happy for us to contact you, please fill in this short form. Your feedback will help us improve our services and guidance.
Updates to this page
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The information about exporting animal-by products from Great Britain has been updated.
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Removed guidance on import controls that are no longer being introduced in July 2022.
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Updated dates that post EU-exit rules about what happens if your ABP fail inspection at a BCP.
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Updated dates for animal by-products rejected or returned from EU Border Control Posts (BCPs).
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Updated to add new link to list of businesses approved to export to the EU.
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Updated with guidance on how to comply with rules from 1 January.
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Added note to explain the change in export process from 1 Jan 2021.
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Update to fee for travelling exhibition certificates, plus updated links on what to do in a no deal Brexit.
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Added information for exporters about how to get an export health certificate if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
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EHC list available
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Export Health Certificate list updated
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EHC List updated
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First published.