Importing and exporting fresh fruit and vegetables

All fruit and vegetables imported to or exported from the UK must meet the relevant quality and labelling rules (marketing standards).

Importing fruit and vegetables from the EU to Great Britain

From 1 January 2022, some fruit and vegetables imported from the EU (except the Republic of Ireland) will need to go through plant health controls. Check which goods are affected.

Until 1 July 2022, the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate (HMI) and Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) will carry out some quality and labelling checks on fruit and vegetable imports.

From 1 July 2022, imports from the EU (including the Republic of Ireland) will:

• be checked routinely at the GB border
• need to meet the same requirements as imports from non-EU countries

HMI inspects imports in England and Wales. SASA inspects imports in Scotland.

If HMI or SASA decide to check your consignment, they’ll tell you that you need to apply for a GB-issued certificate of conformity (CoC) for your consignment.

To apply for a CoC:

• use the Procedure for Electronic Application for Certificates from the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate (PEACH) system if you’re importing into England and Wales
• contact SASA if you’re importing into Scotland

Upcoming changes to PEACH

In 2022, the PEACH system will be changing to a new IT system called IPAFFS. You’ll get an invitation to register for IPAFFS. You should continue to use PEACH for import pre-notifications until then.

Moving fruit and vegetables from Northern Ireland to Great Britain

You can move fruit and vegetables from Northern Ireland to Great Britain in the same way as you did before 1 January 2021.

Read the guidance on moving plants and plant products from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.

Importing fruit and vegetables from the EU to Northern Ireland

You can import fruit and vegetables from the EU to Northern Ireland in the same way as you did before 1 January 2021.

Read DAERA’s guidance on importing plants and plant products from the EU to Northern Ireland.

Importing fruit and vegetables directly from non-EU countries to the UK

All goods which have to meet the Specific Marketing Standard (SMS) need a CoC before they can enter Great Britain.

You’ll need a GB-issued CoC unless your SMS consignment meets both of the following criteria:

• it’s from a country that has UK Approved Inspection Service (AIS) status
• it’s accompanied by a CoC issued by the country you’re importing from (the country must have UK AIS status)

The following countries and products have UK AIS status:

• India (all fresh fruit and vegetables)
• Israel (all fresh fruit and vegetables)
• Kenya (all fresh fruit and vegetables)
• Morocco (all fresh fruit and vegetables)
• New Zealand (apples, pears and kiwi fruit)
• Senegal (all fresh fruit and vegetables)
• South Africa (all fresh fruit and vegetables)
• Switzerland (all fresh fruit and vegetables apart from citrus fruit)
• Turkey (all fresh fruit and vegetables)

Most imports accompanied by a CoC from countries with UK AIS status do not need routine quality and labelling (marketing standards) checks.

HMI or SASA will inspect a small sample at random to make sure that goods comply with the quality and labelling rules.

Some goods that have to meet the General Marketing Standard (GMS) will be checked to make sure they meet quality and labelling requirements. If HMI or SASA decide to check your consignment, you’ll need to apply for a GB-issued CoC.

To apply for a CoC:

• use PEACH if you’re importing to England or Wales
• contact SASA if you’re importing to Scotland

You must apply for a CoC for GMS goods on PEACH even if you’re importing from a country that has AIS status and you have a CoC that’s issued by that country.

Check if you need a phytosanitary certificate to import fruit and vegetables into Great Britain.

If you’re importing fruit and vegetables to Northern Ireland, read DAERA’s guidance on importing plants and plant products.

High-priority goods

If you import high-priority products, both the Plant Health and Seed Inspectorate (PHSI) and HMI (in England and Wales) will inspect your goods more than once. They’ll check that they meet quality and labelling rules (marketing standards) and plant health regulations.

Read guidance on high-priority goods and how to import them to the UK.

Importing fruit and vegetables from non-EU countries to the UK via the EU

Horticultural inspectors are continuing to assess fruit and vegetables travelling in transit from non-EU countries through the EU to the UK to:

• determine whether an inspection is required at the border
• make sure that they comply with the UK’s marketing standards

HMI and PHSI may check produce regulated by both marketing standards and plant health regulations in England and Wales. SASA carry out inspections on produce in Scotland.

HMI and PHSI carry out most quality and labelling (marketing standards) checks at the border. PHSI may check produce at inland plant health facilities.

If you import fruit and vegetables into the UK from a non-EU country and a proportion of your consignment is re-exported to the EU, your consignment needs to undergo both import and export processes.

Importing green bananas from the EU and non-EU countries to the UK

To import green bananas from a non-EU country to Great Britain, you must:

• notify HMI on PEACH if you’re importing into England and Wales
• contact SASA if you’re importing into Scotland

HMI or SASA will inspect your consignment at the border.

Until 1 July 2022, HMI and SASA may check that green banana imports from the EU meet GB marketing standards.

From 1 July 2022:

• you’ll need an inspection certificate to import green bananas from the EU to Great Britain
• HMI and SASA will inspect all green banana imports from the EU routinely, in the same way as non-EU imports

To apply for an inspection certificate:

• use PEACH if you’re importing to England or Wales
• contact SASA if you’re importing to Scotland

If you’re an exempt trader, you will:

• be exempt for the period that your exemption certificate remains valid
• not need a GB inspection certificate when importing green bananas

You’ll need to notify HMI or SASA about your consignment on PEACH in the same way as for non-EU imports. Both exempt traders and traders that are not exempt must do this.

To check your exemption status, email:

• HMI at peachenquiries@apha.gov.uk if you’re in England or Wales
• SASA at hort.marketing@gov.scot if you’re in Scotland

Contact DAERA for guidance on importing green bananas to Northern Ireland.

Exporting fruit and vegetables from Great Britain to the EU

You need to follow third country import requirements in the EU marketing standards regulations if you export fruit and vegetables from Great Britain to the EU.

SMS produce requires a CoC issued by Great Britain to get customs clearance in Great Britain. This includes products going to the EU.

You do not need a CoC issued by Great Britain for GMS goods to clear customs.

You may also require an import CoC that’s issued at entry to the EU by the importing member state. This depends on the member state’s risk assessment for GMS and SMS goods.

The European Commission has granted the UK AIS status for fruit and vegetables.

AIS status allows GB exporters of produce grown in Great Britain to use a GB-issued CoC when getting customs clearance in the EU. A sample of consignments may be checked before they’re imported into the EU, to make sure there’s conformity with EU marketing standards.

The AIS scheme can only be used for produce grown in Great Britain. The scheme cannot be used for re-exports of third country produce from Great Britain to the EU. Re-exports of third country produce are subject to the EU’s third country import requirements.

In England and Wales, HMI issues the relevant certification. To apply for this certification, you should make a PEACH application. In Scotland, you should apply to SASA for this certification.

Most fruit and vegetables need a phytosanitary certificate before they’re exported from Great Britain to the EU.

Approved Trader Scheme (ATS)

Approved trader status means you’re identified as lower risk and will receive fewer conformity checks.

You can get approved trader status if:

• you’re a grower, packer, importer or exporter
• your business consistently meets marketing standards requirements

If you’re part of the ATS in Great Britain, you must remove the EU emblem from your UK food labels and use the replacement GB label. You should only sell your existing stock with the EU emblem in Great Britain, until your existing labels run out.

The GB label must contain the following:

• ‘Marketing standard for fresh fruit and vegetables’
• number of the approved trader
• ‘Great Britain’ or ‘GB’

For more information about ATS, contact:

• HMI by emailing APHAHMIATSapproval@apha.gov.uk (England and Wales)
• SASA’s Horticulture and Marketing Unit by emailing hort.marketing@gov.scot (Scotland)

If you’re part of the ATS in Northern Ireland, you can continue to use the EU ATS label.

Moving fruit and vegetables from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

Fruit and vegetables moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland need to enter through designated points of entry and meet EU import marketing standards requirements.

A risk-based approach applies to controls on fruit and vegetables from Great Britain at points of entry in Northern Ireland. In line with the very low risk posed by GB goods, SMS and GMS goods can be released into free circulation (declared and customs duties paid) in Northern Ireland without needing a GB-issued CoC. This may change on the basis of risk.

For more information, read guidance on moving goods into, out of, or through Northern Ireland.

Exporting fruit and vegetables from Northern Ireland to the EU

You can export fruit and vegetables from Northern Ireland to the EU in the same way as you did before 1 January 2021.

Read the guidance on exporting plants and plant products from Northern Ireland to the EU.

Exporting fruit and vegetables directly from the UK to non-EU countries

You must check that you meet the quality and labelling rules for the country you’re exporting to before sending your consignment.

All SMS products must have a GB-issued CoC to get customs clearance in Great Britain.

GMS goods do not need a GB-issued CoC to get customs clearance in Great Britain.

Most fruit and vegetables need a phytosanitary certificate before they’re exported from the UK to a non-EU country.

If you’re exporting fruit and vegetables to Northern Ireland, read DAERA’s guidance on exporting plants and plant products.

Exporting green bananas from the UK to the EU and non-EU countries

You do not need an inspection or exemption certificate for green bananas to clear UK customs.

You must check that you meet the quality and labelling rules for the country you’re exporting to before sending your consignment.

You can check each country’s rules by either:

• talking to your importer
• getting help researching your export market

Rejected goods

You’ll need to submit a PEACH application requesting a GB-issued CoC for SMS goods, if both of the following conditions apply:

• your consignment of SMS products is rejected by the EU
• you want these products released into GB free circulation (declared and customs duties paid)

If both of these conditions apply to your consignment of GMS products, you may need to submit a PEACH application requesting a GB-issued CoC for GMS goods. You should follow the import procedures for GMS goods.

If you want your consignment to return to Scotland, contact SASA Horticulture and Marketing Unit at hort.marketing@gov.scot.

If you need help

Contact defrahorticulture@defra.gov.uk if you have any queries. You should receive a response within 5 working days.