Since the 1st of January 2022, traders have been asked to pre-notify all plants and plant products arriving to the UK either on IPAFFS (Import of Products, Animal, Food and Feed System) or on PEACH (Procedure for Electronic Application for Certificates from the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate).
The PEACH system is due to be phased out at the end of the year – this is due to be confirmed by DEFRA – and all pre-notification will need to be done in IPAFFS. To register to use the IPAFFS system, you will need to set-up a DEFRA account on your Government Gateway. You can see a short video on how to do this on the Ashford Port Health website here. The pre-notification must be made at least four hours before it arrives into the UK.
When bringing the shipment into the UK, the number provided will need to be declared on your Customs Declarations for the goods to be able to clear the border. The codes to be used on the Customs Declarations will vary depending on which system you are using but your customs broker/agent should be able to advise and do it on your behalf and you should always provide it as part of your instructions to them.
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce can do import and export customs clearance on your behalf and pride ourselves on making sure ourselves and the traders we work with are always complying with all customs requirements. For more information, please contact chambercustoms@gmchamber.co.uk