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The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed today that the UK has been granted ‘national listed status’, which ensures exports to the EU of live animals and products of animal origin such as meat, fish and dairy can continue, providing certainty for a market worth more than £5 billion a year.

The UK’s listed status was confirmed by the EU after it met the health and biosecurity assurances required for a third country.

The move recognises the UK’s high biosecurity and animal health standards and will bring welcome clarity to our world-leading farmers and food producers. The decision will also allow the continued movement of equines between the UK and the EU.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, said:

Third country listed status demonstrates our very high standards of biosecurity and animal health which we will continue to maintain after the end of the transition period.

If you or your business imports or exports animal and animal products, or imports high risk food, then I urge you to visit our guidance pages on gov.uk for what you need to do to continue to trade after 31 December.

Businesses will require an Export Health Certificate for all different product types within a consignment, which will need to be signed by a certifier such as an Official Veterinarian.

Guidance for animal importers and exporters including equine transporters is available on GOV.UK.

The EU has voted to lift a number of plant health prohibitions and they also voted to grant equivalence for fruit and vegetable propagating material, which means these plants and plant products can continue being exported to the EU and NI. We are expecting a decision on agricultural species and forest reproductive material, which is decided via a Council vote.

The recent positive outcome of the EU vote means it will be possible to export seed and propagating material, as well as ware potatoes, to the EU and NI from 1 January 2021.

Further information

• Third country listing is a technical requirement for imports of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) products into the EU. Northern Ireland does not need to be listed due to the Protocol meaning it is within the same SPS area as the EU.
• Ware potatoes can continue to be exported to the EU and NI, but the EU have not accepted our case for a permanent change to the prohibition on seed potatoes, so it will not be possible to export seed potatoes to the EU or NI from 1 January. Defra will continue to engage with the Commission on this issue.