Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Diseases of animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (As amended)

Landing of carcases and animal products Order (Northern Ireland) 1985 (as amended)

General import licence

Licence N o : DARD/GEN/07/15

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in accordance with the terms of the above legislation hereby authorises the importation into Northern Ireland of :–

Fresh Meat and Animal Products from Great Britain

The products covered by the licence are subject to the following conditions:

(1)	Any product landed in Northern Ireland under this licence shall be made available for inspection by an Inspector of the Department.
(2)	The importer or his agent shall afford all assistance necessary to an inspector to enable him to carry out the inspection.

Additional conditions for products listed in Schedule 1

1.	Each consignment must be accompanied by –
A	a commercial document containing the following information –
I	the name and address of the consignor and consignee;
II	the date of issue of the document and a number enabling it to be identified;
III	the description of the product to be transported;
IV	the total quantity despatched; and
B	an attestation as set out in Annex A signed by a responsible company manager and.
C(i)	in the case of meat produced in Great Britain, an official Health certificate issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which states that the meat must have been produced before 15 July 2007;.
C(ii)	in the case of meat produced and packaged in a Member State and stored in Great Britain, an official health certificate issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;
C(iii)	in the case of meat produced and packaged in a third country (i.e. a non EU country), an official health certificate issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;
C(iv)	in the case of meat produced in Northern Ireland and dispatched to Great Britain for storage, an official health certificate issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;
2.	Imports of meat (fresh red meat and farmed game) derived from cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and other biungulates must comply with the requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations (NI) 2006.
3.	Imports of raw material for pet food manufacture must comply with either the Animal By-Products Order (NI) 2003 in the case of low risk animal by product or with the Food Hygiene Regulations (NI) 2006 in the case of meat fit for human consumption.

 Additional conditions for products listed in Schedule 2

1.	The importer must provide an attestation as set out in Annex A signed by a responsible company manager or:
2.	an official audit certificate issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; or
3.	an official health certificate issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;
4.	The consignment is ineligible for export from Northern Ireland to a Member State.

 Additional conditions for products listed in Schedule 3

1.	Each consignment must be accompanied by a commercial document containing the following information –
I	the name and address of the consignor and consignee;
II	the date of issue of the document and a number enabling it to be identified;
III	the description of the product to be transported;
IV	the total quantity despatched.
2.	Imports of meat products derived from cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and other biungulates must comply with the requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations (NI) 2006.
3.	The importer must provide an attestation as set out in Annex A signed by a responsible company manager or:
4.	an official audit certificate issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; or
5.	an official health certificate issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
6.	Imports of hides and skins of FMD susceptible species and certain other products of animal origin (see schedule 3) must, in addition to the commercial document, be accompanied by either a Defra official consignment or audit certificate depending on the treatment the product has underwent.
7.	Imports of Petfood must be accompanied by an official health certificate or audit certificate issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs conforming at least one of the following conditions–
(a)	Canned Petfood - Subjected to heat treatment of a minimum F/o value of 3.
(b)	Processed Petfood - (Other than canned) - subjected to heat treatment of at least 90 degrees throughout its substance.
(c)	Dog Chews - Subjected to a heat treatment sufficient to destroy pathogenic organisms (including salmonella)
8.	The consignment is ineligible for export from Northern Ireland to a Member State.

Additional conditions for products listed in Schedule 4 (composite products)

Each consignment must be accompanied by a commercial document stating that the product is either shelf stable or has been heat treated.

Additional conditions for tinned food for human consumption

Each consignment must be accompanied by a commercial document stating that the product is either shelf stable or has been heat treated.

This licence is valid until further notice or unless revoked by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

9.	This licence revokes General licence DARD/GEN/07/14 dated 23 August 2007 and is valid until further notice or revoked by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Signed, Lisa Reid, Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Date: 14 September 2007

NOTES

1.	Any breach of any condition attached to this licence will constitute an offence against the Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (as amended)_.
2.	Nothing in this licence gives exemption from any prohibition or restriction imposed by the Food Hygiene Regulations (NI) 2006, the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006 and the Medicines Acts 1968 and 1971 or by any legislation superseding or amending the same.
Schedule 1

Meat (i.e. Fresh/frozen uncooked meat, e.g. carcase meat, boneless meat, cuts, minced meat, uncooked burgers, raw sausages, rashers, bacon, venison, wild boar and foodstuffs containing raw meat that have to be cooked before consumption) and raw offal, derived from cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, deer and all other cloven hoofed species (including those from farmed game and wild game) for human consumption.

Minced meat and meat preparations derived from cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and deer.

Meat which has only been smoked, salted, marinated, cured or dried, for human consumption.

 Schedule 2

Butter.

Cheese (including pre packaged cheese originating in a Member State).

Condensed milk.

Evaporated milk.

Fat filled milk replacers.

Ice cream and ice cream products.

Liquid and dried milk products.

Pasteurised milk, pasteurised cream, pasteurised milk-based drinks.

Products containing UHT, sterilised, pasteurised milk or cream dried or liquid milk products.

Sterilised milk, sterilised cream, sterilised milk-based drinks.

UHT milk, UHT cream, UHT milk-based drinks.

Yoghurt.

 Schedule 3

Meat products as defined in Counncil Directive 92/5/EEC which have been heated.

Prepared stomachs of cattle, sheep and pigs intended for human consumption.

Hides and Skins of FMD susceptible species.

Petfood

Other products of Animal Origin including blood, fats, casings, wool, bristles, pet food and game trophies.

 Schedule 4

Composite products (i.e. products that contain both products of animal origin and plant origin) e,g,

Biscuits, Bread, Cakes.

Chocolate, Confectionery (including sweets).

Unfilled gelatine capsules.

Food supplements packaged for the final consumer, containing small amounts of animal product.

Meat extracts and meat concentrates.

Pasta and noodles not mixed or filled with meat product.

Soup stocks and flavourings packaged for the final consumer, containing meat extracts, meat concentrate, animal fats, or fish oils, powders or extracts.

ANNEX A

ATTESTATION BY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY MANAGER

I certify that the consignment referred to in commercial document number............................contains none of the following food items:

•	Fresh meat, minced meat, mechanically separated meat and meat preparations, raw cured meat products, and products containing raw meat unless officially certified as complying with Commission Decision 2007/554/EC (as amended).
•	Unpasteurised milk, dairy products, manufactured from unpasteurised milk and products containg unpasteurised milk.
AND

All products in the consignment containing meat (not certified as above) and milk have undergone at least one of the relevant treatments as laid down in Directive 2002/99 (Part 1 of Annex III)

Furthermore the consignment has been shipped to Northern Ireland in sealed containers ensuring that the consignment is as stated on the commercial document.

The consignment is ineligible for onward transit to another Member State.

 Signed:——————————————————————— Date:———————————————

 Name (BLOCK CAPITALS):————————————————————————————

 Position in Company: ————————————————————————————————