Any food business registered with us that exports food and drink products may be required to provide an Export Health Certificate (EHC) by the country of destination. An EHC confirms that the specific business and the food produced for export is produced in compliance with all relevant legislation and does not present a risk to health.
EHC’s can be provided for fishery and composite products and products not of animal origin (PNOAO) by Selby District Council for export to the European Union (EU) and other countries. Certificates cannot be issued for Foods of Animal Origin (FOAO) apart from fish and fishery products.
FOAO must be certified by an Official Veterinary Inspector (OVI); details of local OVI’s can be found on EHC Online.
Certificates can only be supplied to businesses registered within Selby District and we may need to inspect your business and/or the product to verify compliance with all relevant legislation. We reserve the right to decline certification if your premises, hygiene standards and practices fail to meet food safety legal standards.
If you are commercially exporting food from the UK, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of any requirements or restrictions which apply.
Certain composite products may be exempt from EHC requirements, including confectionery, pasta, bread and biscuit products which meet certain criteria. Click here for further information.
All EHC’s must be applied for using EHC Online. Click here to create a login and request certificates and specific certificate templates can be found here. Please note that there are different certificate templates for product exports to the EU, China, Hong Kong and Canada.
EHC’s are issued within 5 working days of request and can be provided in both physical and digital format. This is a chargeable service and payment is paid via quarterly invoice.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your EHC request meets all criteria of the consignment destination and that all information is correct. Re-requests are chargeable and urgent requests may incur additional costs.
Further guidance and information may be found in the links below or please contact the Export Certificate Team on exportcertificates@selby.gov.uk or 01757 705101.
Composite Products Guide & Exemptions
Export Health Certificate Online Guide
Recorded Webinar for Exporters
High-Risk Foods of non-Animal Origin
High-risk products of non-animal origin listed in EC 2019/1793 must be accompanied by an official certificate for entry into the union for food and feed when exported. This also applies when the product has been repacked and must be certified again from the originating country.
Accompanying documentation must be supplied or arranged through the Council to confirm that exported products meet specified scientific and legislative requirements. This may require a site visit by the certifying officer.
Certificates are required in English and the language of the recipient country is different. Certificate requests should be completed on the appropriate templates and emailed to exportcertificates@selby.gov.uk at least 5 working days prior to departure. Certificate templates and guidance is available on the gov.uk website.
Certificates are issued within 5 working days of request and are provided in both physical and digital format. This is a chargeable service and payment is paid via quarterly invoice.
It is your responsibility to ensure that certificate requests meet all criteria of the consignment destination and that all information is correct. Re-requests are chargeable and urgent requests may incur additional costs.
Further guidance and information may be found in the links below or please contact the Export Certificate Team on exportcertificates@selby.gov.uk or 01757 705101.
Exporting or moving high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin to the EU or Northern Ireland
Food Standard Agency - high-risk food of non-animal origin
General Health Certification
A general health certificate can also be provided to attest that certain food products are produced according to legislative standards, including UK food hygiene law. This type of certificate attests to the premises and provides basic information around the product consignment. This certificate type generally accompanies exports to third countries and exports to the EU and NI with phytosanitary requirements.
If you would like further information on this service or to request a template, please email exportcertificates@selby.gov.uk