HMRC and DEFRA have been working together on resolving common issues that have been experienced when clearing foodstuffs and POAO from the EU into the UK.  We hope that this information clarifies matters.

Question: If you encounter any difficulties and you or your customs agents are unable to generate an IPAFFS or PEACH reference number, what can I do?

Answer: You can enter the document status code XW (waiver) into box 44 on your CHIEF customs declaration, in line with the guidance below:

• For products subject to Horticulture Marketing Standards - declare doc code N002; status code: XW; licence reference: GBCON; Reason text: ‘EU import’
  
  
• For plants and plant products regulated for plant health purposes - declare doc code N851; status code: XW; licence reference: GBPHC; Reason text: ‘EU import’
  
  
• For live animal imports - declare doc code C640; status code XW; licence reference GBCVD; Reason text: ‘EU import’
  
  
• For high risk food not of animal origin - declare doc code N852; status code XW; licence reference GBCED; Reason text: ‘EU import’
  
  
• For Products of Animal Origin - declare doc code N853; status code XW; licence reference GBCVD; Reason text: ‘EU import’
  
  
• For IUU caught fish - declare doc code C673; status code XW; licence reference GBIUU; Reason text: ‘EU import’

Question: What if I get an error message that says "no licence required"?

Answer: Complete your pre-notification but leave box 44 blank in your customs declaration.

Question: On IPAFFS the system is asking for a phytosanitary certificate to be uploaded that isn’t required until 1 July?

Answer: If you can encounter this, simply upload a blank Phytosanitary certificate

Question: When will CHIEF start recognising IPAFFS codes for notifications? Can we get an email sent out? Till then, I submit pre-notifications as I don’t see any benefit behind it? Plus, it is causing double work with the upload to CHIEF?

Answer: We are pleased to advise that this issue has now been resolved.  Imports for affected commodities, via CHIEF, can now progress with the CHED document, status code and pre-notification reference in box 44.