Northern Ireland Retail Movement SchemeScheme: (NIRMS): how to register and seal consignments

YouAll canbusinesses registerin forEngland, theScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Retailresponsible Movementfor Schememoving (NIRMS)or ifselling yourfood business:

• isfor basedfinal consumption in GreatNorthern BritainIreland (England,can Scotlandnow andregister Wales)for orthe Northern Ireland
• moves orRetail sellsMovement foodScheme for final consumption in Northern Ireland

(NIRMS).

This includes:includes: 

• retailers selling finished goods to end consumersconsumers 

• hospitality venues in Northern Ireland, such as pubs and restaurantsrestaurants, who are bringing goods in directly from Great Britain

• those

  businesses providingthat provide food to the public sector –like for example schools, hospitals and prisonsprisons 

• wholesalers supplying smaller retail outletsoutlets 

• businesses operating factory canteenscanteens 

Before you register 

BothCheck which products can move under NIRMS. 

Before you register for NIRMS, you will need to register for: 

• a Government Gateway account 

• export health certificate online 

• a food business operator number or a Plant Health Registration number if you export cut flowers, cut Christmas trees and wreaths 

• a TRACES NT account 

If you are a business that only exports pet food, and you cannot get a food business operator number, enter the approval number of the registered animal by-product business as a food business operator number instead. If you are not able to enter some special characters, such as a forward slash or a space, replace them with a hyphen.   

If you are a business based in Northern Ireland, you will also need to register for the Common Health Entry Document Operators Portal  (CHOP).

You may also be eligible for the UK Internal Market Scheme for customs purposes. 

When you register, you’ll need to provide details of all the establishments you dispatch or receive goods at under the scheme. You’ll also need to confirm that they are registered food business operators in the UK.

The business sending the consignment in Great Britain and the business receiving the consignment in Northern Ireland need to be registered for the scheme.scheme. 

BusinessesTraders onlywill need to registeragree once.to the terms and conditions of the scheme. If the application is successful, they will receive email confirmation with:

• a scheme membership number for their business
• establishment numbers for all of their establishments which send or receive goods​ 

ProductsCompleting thatthe general certificate 

After you canhave moveregistered underfor NIRMS, you’ll be able to complete the general certificate through the export health certificate online service. 

A general certificate will have a unique number. You need a general certificate for each consignment of goods moving under the scheme. 

To complete the general certificate, you’ll need to include the: 

• name and address for the consignor and consignee

• details of the operator responsible

• place of dispatch and destination

• means of transport

• point of entry 

• seal numbers 

Completing an additional document for NIRMS goods  

You canmust automaticallycomplete move:  an additional document (often a form of packing list) that must include all of the following information: 

• all

  a Greatdescription Britainof originthe retail productsgoods   

• the nature of the products  

• the type of treatment that willhas staybeen inapplied Northernto Ireland  the product, for example if it is raw or if it has been processed

• all

  the NorthernRetail IrelandMovement retailScheme productsnumber processedof the place they are being dispatched from in Great Britain  

• all

  the EUnumber originof retailpackages 

• the products  net weight 

Thethe schemecountry alsoof allowsorigin, for some products  

a rangedeclaration ofthat any goods from the rest of the world in the consignment covered by this document have passed checks or been through an EU border control post, where necessary

You can also add the commodity code to movethe packing list, but you do not have to.

You need to provide one additional document for each general certificate, which covers all of the NIRMS products. The packing list cannot cover 2 general certificates.  

In the future, APHA will introduce a digital update to NIRMS that will embed the general certificate reference into Northernyour Ireland.additional document. This keepsguidance will be updated when this change is made. You can sign up for updates to this page.

Non-NIRMS goods and the samepacking productslist  

Non-NIRMS ongoods are goods that are not moving under NIRMS. For example, goods that are moving under:

• Northern Ireland Plant Health Label (NIPHL) rules
• official control regulation rules
• general import rules

If you are moving NIRMS and non-NIRMS goods together, you do not need to complete a full packing list for the shelvesnon-NIRMS goods. You only need to add a short product description for non-NIRMS goods and mark them as in‘non-NIRMS’. GreatIt Britain.  is optional to add the country of origin.

You can move: complete a packing list for non-NIRMS products if you want to. You must clearly separate non-NIRMS goods on the packing list. For example, you can separate non-NIRMS products by creating a:  

• products

  separate tab on the spreadsheet  

• separate table on the document  

• separate column that havestates successfullyif passedthe throughgoods anare EUNIRMS borderor controlnon-NIRMs 

You postmust (BCPfollow the relevant rules that non-NIRMS) beforegoods are moving under.

What to Greatinclude Britainin –the forNIRMS packing list  

Add the following information about the product to the packing list.

You do not need to include information about the packaging.

Description of the retail goods 

You must add a clear description of the retail goods. The description needs to match the product name that appears on the product packaging, where possible.  

You must make the description clear enough that an inspector can look at the packing list to identify the product and the product category.

For example, goods‘own-brand movingchicken throughnuggets Rotterdam(12 pack)’ or moving‘loose fromgala Moroccoapples’.  

Nature throughof product

You must describe how the EUproduct is stored, for example ambient, chilled or frozen. 

Food contact materials

Check if your product is a food contact material.

If your product is a food contact material, you must add ‘FCM’ for the nature of product.

If your packaging is made of food contact material, you do not need to Greatadd Britain  

products‘FCM’. You must add the nature of the product itself.  

Type of treatment 

You must add ‘processed’ if any action has been taken that aresubstantially processedchanges the original product. If no treatment has been applied to the goods, you must add ‘raw’ or ‘unprocessed’.  

The establishment of dispatch in Great Britain

Add –the forRetail example,Movement productsScheme number of the establishment in Great Britain that the goods are turnedbeing intodispatched readyfrom. mealsFor example, RMS-GB-000000-999.

You must only add one Retail Movement Scheme number.   

Number of packages 

Add how many packages of each product there are, in numbers. A package could be a box, crate or fruitpallet.  

 Net salads  

weight 

Give the total net weight for each product on the packing list in kilograms.

For example, if you are moving 6 boxes of biscuits, you need to add the net weight of all 6 boxes together.  

Country of origin 

You canmust moveadd the country of origin to the packing list in the form of an International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) code, including for products that haveare nofood contact materials.

You do not need to add the country of origin for:  

• products that do not move under sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules and are listed under in the products that do not need country of origin section

• non-NIRMS products

The requirements onfor entrythe rules of origin are different for customs purposes. 

Products that do not need country of origin 

You do not need to Northernadd Ireland.the Forcountry example:  of origin for shelf stable composite products like:  

• bananas,

  confectionery pineapples,including duriansweets, white chocolate not containing cocoa, chocolate and coconutsother food preparations, spreads, and preparations for making drinks containing cocoa  

• pasta, noodles and couscous (except— forexcluding whenthose theymixed containor filled with meat products, for exampleexample, meat-filled pasta,pasta

• prepared foods made by swelling or couscousroasting cereals or cereal products 

• prepared foods made from unroasted cereal flakes or from mixtures of unroasted cereal flakes and noodlesroasted mixedcereal flakes

• bread, cakes, biscuits, waffles and wafers, rusks, toasted bread and similar toasted products, chips and crisps  

• olives stuffed with meat) fish  

• extracts, essences and concentrates of coffee, tea or maté and preparations with a basis of any of these products  

• roasted chicory and other roasted coffee substitutes, including extracts, essences and concentrates of these products  

• soup stocks and flavourings packaged for the final consumer

• bread,

  food cakes,supplements biscuits,that waffles,are confectionerypackaged (includingfor sweets),the chocolatefinal consumer and othercontain foodsmall preparations(in containingtotal cocoaless than 20%) amounts of animal products or glucosamine, chondroitin or chitosan  

• liqueurs and cordials 

You cando movenot productsneed thatto doadd notthe requirecountry certificationof ororigin controls, for example: : 

• processed or canned fruit and vegetables,vegetables nuts(including fruit juices)        

• frozen peas  

• dried herbs and seeds,spices  

• flavourings  

• plant-based flourmilks such as oat, almond and wine  soy milk  

• fisheries

  jam  

• peanut productsbutter  

• maple thatsyrup comeand fromother countriessyrups  

• olive specifiedoil  

• vinegar  

• tomato inketchup theor EUother illegal,fruit unreportedand vegetable condiments  

• jars of pasta sauce  

• nuts and unregulatedseeds  

• popcorn, (IUU)crackers implementingand regulationscrisps  

• tomato  soup  

• frozen chips  

• tea bags, dried tea leaves and coffee  

• cereals  

• flour  

• rice  

• natural sugar  

• wine  

• soft drinks  

• beer and cider   

• spring water, mineral water and other bottled waters  

You cando movenot productsneed whereto add the UKcountry isof takingorigin thefor samederegulated approachfruits, assuch theas: 

• pineapples  

• bananas  

• coconuts  

• dates  

• durians  

Country EUof origin for products of animal origin (POAO) toand protectplant againstproducts 

For pestsPOAO and diseases.plant Thisproducts includes:  moving under NIRMS, add the country of origin as: 

• meat

  ‘GB’ –for fresh,products chilledproduced orand frozenpackaged Newin ZealandGreat lamb,Britain 

• ‘GB’ chilledfor orproducts frozenthat poultryare meatproduced productsin fromrest Thailandof world countries but processed and Chinapackaged in Great Britain 

• pet

  the foodEU country for products produced and dogpackaged chews in an EU country 

• vegetables

  the –EU onions,country shallots,for garlic,products cauliflowers,that broccoli,are peas,produced beansin peppers,countries pumpkins,in squashthe andrest gourds,of sweetcorn,the sweetworld potatoesand then processed and asparagus  packaged in the EU, or imported into the EU 

• fruit

  the –rest tomatoes,of avocados,the grapes,world melons,country watermelons,for apples,products pears,that strawberries,are raspberries,produced blackberries,and mulberries,packaged loganberries,in blueberries,a cranberries,country lychees,outside dragonfruit,of figsGreat Britain and ginger 

the EU 
• cut

Definition flowersof –processing alstroemeria,for brassicaPOAO 

For POAO, chrysanthemum,‘processed’ carnations,means gypsophila,processing lilies,that protea,substantially sunflowers,changes tulipsthe initial product.

This could be by:

• heating
• cutsmoking
• curing
• maturing
• drying
• marinating
• extraction
• extrusion
• a herbscombination –of basil,these coriander,processes

This chives,is dill,not lemongrass,a mint,complete parsley,list.

Slicing, rosemary,grating sage,or tarragon,repackaging thyme,of turmeric animal products is not defined as ‘processed’ for POAO. 

Definition of processing for plant products 

SPSFor goodsplant products, ‘processed’ means that dothe notinitial qualifyproduct underhas been changed.  This could be by peeling, slicing, heating or using other manufacturing practices. 

Multiple country of origins  

If a processed POAO contains products from multiple countries, the schemecountry needof toorigin movewould underbe Officialthe Controlscountry Regulationin (OCR)which rules.  it is processed into a single product. 

What

If youyour needunprocessed beforePOAO registering

comes from multiple countries of origin, like unprocessed minced beef from multiple countries, add all of the country of origins separated by commas.  

BeforeFor youfresh registerfruit, forvegetables, cut flowers and foliage from multiple countries, add all of the scheme,relevant youcountries alsoof origin separated by commas. 

Goods from the rest of the world

You must make a declaration on the additional document which states that goods from the rest of the world that need to registerhave for: SPS checks either:  

• a Government

  passed Gateway accountchecks andat aan DefraEU accountborder (itcontrol willpost 

• are takeproducts 5where minutesthe UK is taking the same approach as the EU to setprotect up)against  similar pests and diseases 

The competent authority may ask you to provide evidence of this at a later time.   

Products where the UK is taking the same approach as the EU

The UK is taking the same approach as the EU for the following meat products: 

• Exportfresh, Healthchilled Certificateor Online (EHCfrozen Online) New Zealand lamb
• a Foodpet Businessfood Operator (FBO)and numberdog orchews 

The aUK Plantis Healthtaking Registrationthe (PHR)same numberapproach ifas youthe exportEU cutfor flowers,the cutfollowing Christmasfresh treesvegetables: 

• onions
• shallots
• garlic
• cauliflowers
• broccoli
• peas
• beans
• peppers
• pumpkins
• squash and wreaths gourds
• a TRACESsweetcorn
• sweet NT account potatoes
• asparagus 

IfThe youUK areis ataking businessthe thatsame onlyapproach exportsas petthe foodEU andfor youthe cannotfollowing getfresh anfruit:

• tomatoes
• avocados
• grapes
• melons
• watermelons
• apples
• pears
• strawberries
• raspberries
• blackberries
• mulberries
• loganberries
• blueberries
• cranberries
• lychee
• dragon FBOfruit
• figs 
• ginger 

The number,UK enteris taking the approvalsame numberapproach ofas the registeredEU animalfor by-productthe businessfollowing cut flowers:

• chrysanthemum
• lilies
• carnations
• alstroemeria
• tulips
• sunflowers
• gypsophila
• protea
• brassica     

The UK is taking the same approach as anthe FBOEU numberfor instead.the Iffollowing cut herbs:

• cut chives
• lemongrass
• tarragon
• parsley
• dill
• thyme
• mint
• coriander
• rosemary
• turmeric
• sage
• basil

Commodity codes

You can add commodity codes or tariff codes (which are 8 numbers) to the packing list, but you cannotdo enternot somehave specialto. characters,Tariff suchcodes, which are also known as aharmonized forwardsystem slashcodes, orare aused space,by replacecustoms themauthorities witharound athe hyphen.world.  

 After you have completed the general certificate and the additional document 

IfOnce you arehave acompleted businessand basedsubmitted inthe Northerngeneral Ireland,certificate, you alsowill need to registerupload for the the Commonadditional Healthdocument Entry(packing Documentlist) (CHED)and Operatorsconfirm Portalthat  (CHOP).the consignment meets the scheme rules.

YouYou’ll needbe able to provideview detailsthe status of allyour application in the placesexport thathealth willcertificate sendonline orportal.  

 The receiverecipient goodsin underNorthern Ireland needs to notify DAERA of the scheme,incoming andgoods:  

• before confirmthe thatconsignment theyenters arethe registeredport FBOsof departure in Great Britain

• at least 4 hours before the consignment arrives in Northern Ireland  

You do this by submitting a CHED and attaching the UK. general certificate and packing list. 

BusinessesThere willis needa toclone agreefeature in DAERA’s CHOP system, that helps you to fill out the termsCHED andwith conditionsthe information you have given on the general certificate. 

Sealing consignments  

The responsible person listed under the scheme must supervise the sealing of each consignment with a seal.

Traders can buy seals, but they must meet the scheme.UK Ifstandards yourfor applicationcustoms isseals.

The successful,seal youmust willhave geta emailunique confirmationidentifier with:  with an associated number. You must include the seal number in the general certificate for that consignment. 

Your consignment may be delayed if: 

• a

  you scheme membershipdo numbernot forapply yourthe business  seal correctly 

• establishment

  the numbersseal fornumber all establishmentsdoes thatnot willmatch bethe sendingnumber oron receivingthe goods general certificate 

Sealing mixed consignments  

YouVehicles mayor alsoloads bethat eligiblecontain a mix of goods moved under NIRMS and goods moved under official controls regulations will need to meet the sealing requirements for the UKboth Internalroutes.

Find Marketout Schemehow (UKIMS) forto customsmove purposes. mixed consignments.

RegisterChannelling  

The forestablishment in Northern Ireland must tell DAERA within 48 hours of the scheme  goods arriving at their establishment, through the CHOP system and include a photograph of the unbroken seal. DAERA will complete any channelling procedures.

Compliance  

Document checks  

RegisterDAERA yourwill businesscomplete todocument usechecks NIRMSon the general certificate and CHED. using the CHED Inspection Platform. 

Move

The competent authorities in Great Britain and Northern Ireland may ask you to provide additional evidence to show that the goods you are moving under NIRMS meet the scheme 

requirements.

AfterFor successfullyexample, registering,the findcompetent outauthorities howmay ask you for documents to moveshow that goods underwhich originated from countries in the Northernrest Irelandof Retailworld Movementhave Scheme.successfully Thispassed guidancechecks includesat informationan aboutEU generalborder certificates,control additionalpost.

You documentsmust (oftenprovide a formvalidated ofCHED packingfrom list),the sealsEU border control post and compliance.the related export health certificate within 72 hours.    

Get

Physical help  

checks  

ContactThere APHAwill forbe helpno withroutine signingor upset forphysical NIRMSchecks.

Interventions by:will be based only on risk and intelligence decisions made by competent authorities to deal with:

• emailing NIRetailMovementEnquiries@apha.gov.uk smuggling
• callingcriminality
• abuse
• specific 03000risks 200to 301,animal, Mondayplant toor Fridaypublic 8:30amhealth 

Identity tochecks  

DAERA 5pminspectors (findat outNorthern aboutIreland callpoints charges) of entry will make a decision on whether any identity procedures are required.