We know that getting your head around exporting can be hard enough, without the added complications of having to decipher the jargon. That is why we've pulled together this handy jargon buster, to hopefully demystify the acronyms you're spending all your time on Google trying to understand.
This refers to those parts/materials of an animal that are not directly consumed by humans. This includes fat, bones and gelatine.
This is an inspection point designated and approved in line with EU legislation for carrying out checks on animals and animal products arriving from third countries at an EU border.
CDS is the new reporting customs system by HMRC. It is used to process declarations for goods entering and leaving the UK and will replace the CHIEF system.
This document is used as part of the customs process for products of animal origin, live animals and plants/plant products. There are various types depend on your specific product (e.g. CHED-A for animals, CHED-PP for plants and plant products and CHED-V for vegetables).
This is the system which records the movement of goods by land, air or sea. It is the national computer system from HMRC and is used by importers, exporters and freight forwarders to complete customs checks online.
These are food items intended for human consumption that contains both processed products of animal origin and products of plant origin.
This is an electronic customs declaration used for speeding up the importation of goods. This means that when the goods under CFSP arrive at a frontier from outside the EU and initial declaration is submitted to allow the release of the goods. Further details on the goods, known as Supplementary Declarations must then be sent to HMRC afterwards within 175 days of the importation.
An agreement between a number of countries which removes tariffs – duties paid on particular imports or exports and sets up a common external tariff to non-members. In this guide we are referring usually to the EU Customs Union although it is worth noting that there are others set up globally.
An official document that confirms your export meets the health requirements of the destination country. It must accompany all POAO or other ABP in order to clear customs upon importation.
These are global agreements according to international law which form a free-trade area between one country/region to another. They affect trade in goods and services and generally provide reduction of trade barriers.
These are a set of EU and UK rules allowing exporters from developing countries to pay less or no duties on their exports to the EU and UK.
This allows for the relief from customs duty and import VAT on the importation of non EU goods that are processed and then re-exported.
This is the entity/person who is responsible officially for importing goods into a country and whose name appears on the customs documentation.
This is used to pre-notify the arrival of high risk ABP, live animals, germinal products and products of animal origin under safeguard measures.
These are the usual non-discriminatory tariffs charged on imports from other members of the World Trade Organisation, unless the country is part of a preferential trade agreement.
This is the agreed process between the UK and the EU that there would be no new checks on goods crossing the border between NI and the Republic of Ireland. It means that NI is part of the UK custom’s territory but stays within the EU Single market.
An online system to comply with regulations when importing plants of fruits or vegetables.
This is used for exporting plants and plant related products.
Goods derived from animals are referred to as products of animal origin (POAO).
POAO include certain live animals for direct human consumption, foodstuffs, by-products and goods that may have come into contact with animals, such as hay and straw.
This is a document used to accompany composite products that are shelf-stable and do not contain meat.
This refers to the EU-UK free trade agreement signed on 30 December 2020 between the UK and the EU.
A term used by the EU to refer to countries/territories not part of their 27 member states nor one whose citizens enjoys the same right to free movement.
This is within the EU and refers to the common market established between the 27 member states. It is a type of trade bloc and refers to the EU as one territory where there are no internal borders or other regulatory obstacles to the free movement of goods and services.
These are sanitary and phytosanitary measures put in place to place to protect humans and animals and plants from diseases, pests or contaminants. It is from these rules that the need for EHC and PC derive from.
A declaration made to HMRC within 175 days of importation of goods into the UK.
This is what applies to goods imported into the UK from January 2021 onwards. It is the UK’s new MFN tariff regime upon leaving the EU.