Statutory guidance

Import of display items - Import Information Note (IIN) ABP/29

Published 2 December 2024

1. General information 

This Import Information Note (IIN) must be read in conjunction with the IIN for general information for imports of animal by-products (ABPs), which provides information on pre-notifications, veterinary checks, risk categories and more.

References to European Union (EU) legislation within this document are references to direct EU legislation which has been assimilated in Great Britain (assimilated direct legislation), as defined in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 and can be viewed on the UK legislation website

2. Scope

Import conditions for display items. 

Display items are defined in Regulation (EU) 142/2011 as ABPs or derived products intended for exhibitions or artistic activities. 

3. Production standards 

Display items must have been produced and stored in accordance with the requirements of Annex VI, Chapter I, Section 2 of Regulation (EU) 142/2011.  

4. Country of origin 

Imports are permitted from trading partners listed in a document published by the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, for: 

Imports of display items are permitted from countries listed in the document for:

  • fresh meat of ungulates
  • poultry and poultry products
  • meat of wild leporidae, of certain wild land mammals and of farmed rabbits
  • countries listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2019/626 

and the following countries:

  • Japan
  • Philippines
  • Taiwan 

5. Documentation 

Imports must be accompanied by a commercial document produced by the exporter, which must specify the:

a) description of the material and the animal species of origin

b) category of the material as defined in Regulation (EC) 1069/2009

c) quantity of the material

d) place of dispatch of the material

e) name and the address of the consignor

f) name and the address of the consignee

6. Authorisation 

Prior to importation, an authorisation is required from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). 

From non-EU countries

General authorisations (GAs) are available for certain items, but if one isn’t available for your item, or you cannot comply with the conditions of a GA, you will need a specific authorisation. To apply for an authorisation please complete an import licence application form and send it to APHA Centre for International Trade (CIT)

EU and EFTA member states

There is currently no requirement to apply to APHA for an authorisation to import these types of animal by-products from the EU and EFTA member states.

Authorisation to import these products from EU and EFTA member states is already provided by general import authorisation IMP-GEN-2024-06 which does not need to travel with the consignment.

The consignment must be accompanied by a commercial document.

New general import authorisations are currently under development for certain types of products from EU and EFTA member states, which may introduce new import conditions to ensure animal and public health is protected. Sufficient time will be given to traders before their use is required.

This section will also be updated if a new general import authorisation is published which is relevant to the products covered by this import information note. 

7. Approval or registration of destination premises 

Any operator, establishment or plant that generates, transports, handles, processes, stores, places on the market, distributes, uses or disposes of ABPs including research and diagnostic samples, trade samples or display items must be approved or registered by APHA under Animal By-Products Enforcement Regulations before commencing operations. 

This requirement is provided for in Article 23 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009

How to register a premises or site that handles or uses ABPs

8. Transporters or couriers 

Any independent hauliers (including couriers) of ABPs including research and diagnostic samples, trade samples or display items should also be registered as described above. The registration process only needs to be done once for each haulier. 

9. Movement from the Border Control Post (BCP) to the point of destination 

Following the veterinary checks referred to in the IIN for general information for imports of animal by-products (ABPs), display items must be sent directly to the authorised user.

10. Disposal or re-export of display items 

After the exhibition or the artistic activity has concluded display items must be either:

a) re-dispatched to the third country of origin

b) dispatched to an EU Member State or third country, if such dispatch has been authorised by the competent authority of the Member State or third country of destination in advance

c) disposed of in accordance with Articles 12, 13 and 14 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009

11. Contact for further information

For more information about import requirements, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) imports team:

Centre for International Trade - Carlisle
Eden Bridge House
Lowther Street
Carlisle
CA3 8DX

Email: [email protected] 

Telephone: 03000 200 301