In this week’s post EU exit corner, we bring you the latest guidance updates and publications relevant in the post EU exit environment. The most recent Trader Support Service bulletin is also available as is the most recently published Brexit and Beyond newsletter from the Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs team. HMRC has also asked us to share that a new system will be implemented from 28 June 2025 to check specific customs declaration elements against the information contained in the relevant license.
Implementation of CERTEX
From 28 June 2025, CERTEX will be the new system used to check specific customs declaration elements against the information contained in the relevant license. HMRC has published detailed guidance on this. CERTEX replaces the Automatic Licence Verification System (ALVS) for Northern Ireland. This change does not impact express operators moving consumer parcels under the UK Carrier Scheme.
If a licence is required, this change will impact the following document types:
- Certificates of Organic Conformity (COI),
- Plants and plant products (CHED.PP),
- Food and feed of non-animal origin (CHED.D),
- Food and products of animal origin (CHED.P),
- Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), and
- Fluorinated Gases (FGAS).
For these licensed goods moving into or out of Northern Ireland by import, export or transit, information on declarations such as commodity code, net mass, and supplementary units must match with licences. This is essential to avoid unnecessary delays to the movement of goods.
Also, from 28 June 2025, the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) reference must also be provided on the declaration in the new format. The reference format must be letters followed by numbers and include the full stop character. For example, 'CHEDA.XI.2025.1234567'.
If a trader is pre-lodging a declaration that will be arrived from 28 June 2025 this will need to include the new CHED format. If they have already pre-lodged a declaration for arrival from 28 June 2025 using the old CHED format, they will need to use the Customs Declaration Service to amend this prior to the arrival of the goods.
They must continue to use the old CHED format if they are pre-lodging a declaration that will arrive prior to 28 June 2025.
Failure to use the correct CHED format will result in rejections once the goods arrive and potentially delays in getting the goods released. Processes for making a declaration or obtaining a licence remain unchanged.
For support for goods in movement, contact the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (DAERA) on 0300 200 7852 or email daera.helpline@daera-ni.gov.uk. For general support with freight movements, traders can contact the Trader Support Service team, or call the HMRC Customs and International Trade helpline on 0300 322 9434 (textphone 0300 200 3719).
For support with parcels movements, traders can contact their parcel express operator.
Miscellaneous guidance updates and publications
This week’s miscellaneous guidance updates and publications are as follows:
- Communications resources to help you move goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland,
- Software developers providing customs declaration software,
- Simplified Process for Internal Market Movements (SPIMM): Category of goods guidance,
- Import goods to the UK temporarily,
- Software developers providing entry summary declaration support,
- Short shipments at temporary storage locations,
- Customs Declaration Service error codes,
- CDS Customs Clearance Request Completion Instructions for Inventory Exports,
- CDS BIRDS Declarations and Customs Clearance Request completion instructions,
- Notices made under The Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018,
- Customs Declaration Completion Requirements for The Northern Ireland Protocol,
- Claim back an import security deposit or guarantee,
- CDS Declaration Completion Instructions for Final Supplementary Declarations,
- Simplified Process for Internal Market Movements (SPIMM) or UK Carrier (UKC) Scheme: Customs Declaration Service Data Element Completion Guide,
- CDS Declaration Completion Instructions for Exports,
- CDS Declaration Completion Instructions for Imports,
- Pipette tips (Tariff notice 12),
- Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI), and
- Data Element 2/3: Documents and Other Reference Codes (Union) of the Customs Declaration Service.
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