24/12/2025
On 9 December the European Commission announced a reinforcement of controls on food, animal and plant products entering the EU.
The measures announced include:
• Closer monitoring of non-compliant commodities and countries, with frequency of checks increased as required;
• A 50% increase in the number of audits carried out on non-EU countries over the next two years;
• A 33% increase in audits of European Border Control Posts (BCPs), to verify that Member States are carrying out border inspections in line with EU requirements.
Further details regarding the announcement can be found at: Commission announces reinforcement of controls on products imported into the EU.
Context
Defra has informed us that the EU’s standards and rules for imports are not changing. However, the recent reinforcement of controls, increased frequency of checks, and greater scrutiny at EU BCPs may lead to:
• More consignments being rejected if they fail to meet EU import requirements.
• More establishments being placed under Intensified Official Controls (IOC) and Imposed Checks (IC).
Following engagement with industry, Defra understands that some operators are unclear of the processes for IOCs and ICs. This notice aims to raise awareness and provide clarity on these requirements.
Background
Under the Official Controls Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2017/625), goods exported to the EU are subject to document, identity, and physical checks at the border. If consignments do not meet EU import requirements, they may be refused entry. Businesses that seriously or repeatedly fail to comply may be placed under Intensified Official Controls (IOC) or Imposed Checks (IC).
What are Intensified Official Controls and Imposed Checks?
If you seriously or repeatedly fail to meet EU import requirements, additional checks will be applied to your consignments.
• Intensified Official Controls: Additional checks are applied to the next 10 consignments of the same commodity from the same establishment. These checks continue until:
1. 10 consecutive consignments achieve satisfactory results, and
2. The total net weight of checked consignments is 10 times the weight of the original non-compliant consignment or 300 tonnes (whichever is less).
• Imposed Checks: If there are three failures during the IOC period, controls escalate. This stage requires:
1. At least 30 consecutive consignments to pass inspection, and
2. The European Commission to approve an action plan from Defra to address the non-compliance.
These measures are designed to protect public, animal, and plant health and may cause delays and additional costs.
Further guidance is available on GOV.UK: What happens when official controls are triggered at the EU border - GOV.UK.
Communication of Non-Compliance
Defra has received feedback that it can be unclear when establishments become subject to IOC or IC, or when these controls have been lifted. To clarify, according to the OCR, the communication process is as follows:
If a consignment is refused entry, the relevant EU BCP will notify:
• The European Commission
• Other member states
• Customs authorities
• The operator responsible for the consignment
• Authorities in the country of origin
While Defra does get notified as part of this process, the notification is not always immediate. Additionally, Defra does not hold contact details for all traders so cannot communicate directly to affected business.
It is the commercial responsibility of the operator responsible for the consignment to inform their customer (the GB exporter) of any decision made by an EU BCP to refuse entry or apply enforcement measures.
Access to TRACES
GB exporters/consignors approved for exports to the EU may request access to TRACES NT to view and track their CHEDs.
To request access, first follow the steps outlined on the TRACES NT Getting Started page. Once completed, contact the APHA National Contact Point (NCP) team to validate your account:
Email: [email protected]
Actions Needed
• Review your processes to ensure all consignments meet EU import requirements before dispatch.
• Monitor TRACES NT for alerts or changes affecting your goods.
• Request clear communication from your EU import agent regarding consignment status.
• If your establishment is subject to IOC or IC, inform the relevant GB competent authorities and follow all instructions from them and the EU BCPs.
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