International trade: Customer Information Notes - GEN/08/162
UK exports certification partnership
Purpose
1. To advise exporters of livestock and livestock genetics and meat of a pilot partnership which will inject extra resource towards improving access to more non-EU country markets.
Background
2. If you wish to export either livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, camelids) or their genetics/meat to a third country (outside the EU) where a usable export health certificate does not currently exist , you should be aware of the role of the UKECP partnership.
3. This pilot partnership builds on the success of the Export Certification User Group (joint Defra/industry forum) that has been meeting over the last six years, and will further improve the use of joint Defra/Industry resources to negotiate with the veterinary authorities in non-EU countries to gain access to these markets. As the demand for new export certification far outstrips the available resource in Defra, we are building on our excellent working relationship with Industry to share responsibility for developing certification for third country markets, a task particularly important following a disease outbreak such as FMD last year. In particular the Partnership will enable more face to face negotiations with third countries through the use of Defra approved agents.
4. Initially a three year trial, UKECP is an informal working group that:
- Liaises with the UK livestock and livestock genetics and meat industries to establish export market priorities;
- Provides a forum to discuss the use of Defra agents to negotiate export health certificates on behalf of the UK;
- Helps to draft and follow through the agreement of export health certification which is generally required before exports can commence.
Enquiries
5. General enquiries on export issues including export health certification should still be directed to your local Animal Health office. The pilot partnership is still in its very early developmental stages and may provide alternative routes for enquiries as it develops.
Further information
6. For further background on UKECP, including a list of Industry partners, please see the Defra information bulletin and Notes to Editors
7. As the partnership progresses, detailed information will be available on both Defra's International Trade web pages, and the UKECP website.
Issued by: International Animal Health
Page published: 13 November, 2008