Under Commission Implementing Decision 2013/287/EU which applies to feed and food consignments of rice products originating in or consigned from China (and including other products which may consist, contain or be produced from rice) can only enter the UK through specific ports and airports approved as Border Control Points (BCPs).
A list of the rice products subject to the controls can be found in Annex I of the Decision.
Consignments must be accompanied by a health certificate completed in accordance with Annex III of the Decision and signed and verified by the appropriate authorities in China. For identification purposes each health certificate needs to be marked with a code, which is found on all individual bags or other types of packaging that make up the consignment.
An analytical report must also be completed for each lot in the consignment, in accordance with Annex IV of the Decision . The sampling and analysis that took place in China prior to import should be in accordance with the methods detailed in Annex II of Decision 2011/884/EC .
Food and feed business operators must pre-notify DPEs or BIPs with the estimated date and time of arrival of all consignments of rice products in Annex I of the Decision, including whether it is food or feed.
For consignments of products listed in Annex I of the Decision that do not contain, consist of or are not produced from rice, food or feed business operators may provide a statement to that effect. Where a statement is provided, such consignments are not subject to the official controls and do not need to have the results of analysis or a health certificate.
A documentary check and sampling for laboratory analysis will take place at the BCP. Fees will be payable to the relevant authorities and will not be higher than the costs incurred by the authorities
