Publication
Moving goods under Transit Procedure via the UK landbridge: EU - Great Britain – Ireland
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
The UK Government announced on 28 April 2022 that no further import controls on EU goods will be introduced in 2022. The new target date for the introduction of controls that had been due to be introduced throughout 2022 is the end of 2023. Further information is available here.
Background
Since 1 January 2021, a range of new steps must be completed in order to move goods under the transit procedure via the UK. Depending on the model used by operators to manage the transit (e.g. in-house or via a customs agent), there is flexibility as to who completes a number of steps. It is therefore vital that all actors in the transit chain (e.g. traders, logistics companies, customs agents, hauliers etc.) understand and agree in advance who is responsible for each of the steps along the route. Failing to clarify this will disrupt your trade and lead to possibly severe delays including not being given permission to enter Ports or board ships.
The term “Responsible Operator” is used below to cover all relevant actors within the transit chain (e.g. traders, logistics companies, customs agents, hauliers etc.) who, depending on circumstances, may complete the required processes and steps.
We have set out below an overview of the steps traders should take when moving goods on a transit route via ports in France, Belgium, The Netherlands or Sweden through Great Britain to Ireland. The example is for illustrative purposes and should be taken as broad advice only. It is up to the responsible operators to ensure that they understand the precise steps required to move their specific consignments across their chosen transit route and who will be responsible for completing the various steps.
For the purposes of the examples, the trader is considered to be customs compliant (i.e. has an Irish EORI number and is VAT registered), and has made provision to have a financial guarantee in place and is not an authorised consignor.
Where vehicles containing Union animal products (excluding consignments of animal by-products which must be sealed) are consolidated during transit of Great Britain with non-Union animal products, the vehicle can no longer benefit from the flexibilities provided for EU-EU transits on re-entry, as the presence of UK goods will require the vehicle to be presented to the border control post for official controls including the necessary identity and physical checks.
Note in addition, that transiting consignments of Union animal products are not permitted to be unloaded in warehouses in GB as, if the goods are unloaded, they will require to be certified by the UK authorities for export to the EU.
The list of Ireland’s designated BCPs is available here.
Goods leaving France, Belgium, The Netherlands or Sweden
1. The Responsible Operator in the country of country of departure submits a combined exit summary declaration and transit declaration onto the French, Belgian, Dutch or Swedish NCTS IT system. This generates an S(TAD) – a Transit Accompanying Document (TAD) that contains safety and security information - with a unique Movement Reference Number (MRN).
2. Live animals and germinal products must be accompanied by an intra-EU trade cert.
3. Consignments of animal by-products must be sealed by the responsible operator.
4. The responsible operator must give 24 hours prior notification of arrival of consignments of live animals, germinal products and high risk animal by-products (Category 1 and 2 materials and Category 3 Processed Animal Protein) by submitting Part 1 of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) in TRACES NT. Note that the Irish authorities do not require prior notification in TRACES NT of consignments of products of animal origin, composite products, animal by-products and derived products, and hay and straw.
5. The Responsible Operator must enter the MRN of the TAD and exit summary declaration into the appropriate port system of the Port of Departure, namely: France's 'SI Brexit' system, Belgium's customs declaration system or the Dutch Portbase system.
6. Prior to departure from France, Belgium, the Netherlands or Sweden, the haulage company enters MRN of TAD into the UK's Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS). This will require a UK EORI number number to access the GVMS system.
Note: If you are moving animals/ SPS goods as part of the transit UK transit requirements also apply. These are detailed in the table Item was unpublished or removed
7. Since 1 January 2022, all SPS products (POAO, ABP and regulated plants and plant products) moving from another EU country to Ireland via the Landbridge must be pre-notified on the Imports of Products, Animal, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) or PEACH system at least four hours before the products arrive into Great Britain (GB). There is also a requirement to inform GB authorities by email once the consignment has left GB. All consignments must be registered on GVMS.
In Great Britain
8. Upon arrival in Great Britain, if all in order, driver does not have to interact with Border Force as the office of transit function will be completed digitally using the GVMS information. GVMS is in operation at Holyhead, Liverpool and Fishguard. If GVMS is not operational, a call at an Office of Transit is required to have the (S)TAD stamped.
9. From 1 October 2021, safety and security declarations will be required for goods leaving Great Britain, including in RoRo vehicles, and for empty containers, pallets and vehicles moving to the EU under a transport contract.
Goods moved under common transit procedures from Great Britain to Ireland, where the goods are destined for Northern Ireland are permanently exempt from these UK safety and security export requirements.
10. The exit summary declaration is lodged to the UK's IT systems.
11. The entry summary declaration (ENS) is lodged to Irelands’ IT system by the haulage company.
12. Create a Pre-Boarding Notification (PBN) on the Customs RoRo service. The PBN must include the MRN of the ENS and the TAD. If the vehicle contains several consignments, the MRNs of all the declarations must be included in the PBN.
13. On arrival at the port (e.g. Holyhead, Liverpool), the driver must provide a valid PBN (Pre-Boarding Notification) to the ferry operator. The ferry operator confirms with Revenue electronically that the PBN has ' a good to check-in' status. From 1 January 2022, the driver will also need to provide a UK Goods Movement Reference (GMR) number before departing from the UK by ferry to Ireland. The truck is allowed to board the ferry if all is in order.
In Ireland
14. 30 minutes from arrival at the Irish port, the driver can see the status of the lorry on the Customs RoRo on-line service.
15. Once no issues are noted by the Irish authorities, the responsible operator(s) have completed all the stages correctly and the load is moving under transit, the driver should be given a 'green' routing and will be allowed to leave the port without interacting with Irish customs and proceed to close the transit.
16. If the customer is registered as an Authorised Consignee, the goods can be delivered directly to their premises. The driver hands over the TAD with the delivery to allow closure of the transit. If the customer is not an authorised consignee, provided all paperwork is complete and has satisfied Revenue's risk analysis, customs will digitally complete the Office of Destination functions without a need for the driver to call to customs.