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The process of pre-notifying plant and plant products to Defra is currently achieved by making applications on the PEACH or IPAFFS systems.
PEACH = Procedure for Electronic Application for Certificates from the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate
IPAFFS = Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS)
The PEACH system is due to be retired at the end of 2022, subject to confirmation from Defra. After this date, users will need to move across to IPAFFS.
In the meantime, depending on which route was used to apply for the certificates, traders will need to adopt different approaches as to how the documents are declared to HMRC through the Customs Declaration Service (CDS)
The tables below explain how the certificates should be declared in Data Element 2/3 on a CDS import declaration.
Traders should also be aware of the current CDS "workarounds" that are required to ensure that the import declaration and the certificate declared in DE 2/3 is accepted. More about this later.
Firstly, the certificates themselves.
Document code N002 is used to declare a Certificate of Conformity and document code N851 is used to declare a Phytosanitary Certificate. The PEACH licence type is 'GBPHC'. However, the IPAFFS licence type is 'GBCHD'.
Watch out for the "." (the full-stop) that must be used when declaring IPAFFS certificates.
Here are the details:
N002 - Certificate of Conformity
If the Defra pre-notification is made on PEACH, enter in DE 2/3:
| Document Code | N851 |
|---|---|
| Document Identifier | GBPHC (plus the certificate number) |
| Status Code | AG, AP, AS, JA, JE or JS |
If the Defra pre-notification is made on IPAFFS enter in DE 2/3:
| Document Code | N851 |
|---|---|
| Document Id format | GBCHDyyyy.nnnnnnn |
| Status Code | AE, JA or JE |
Where yyyy = the year in which the certificate was issued, for example
GBCHD2022.2468435.
Do not forget the ‘.’ which is part of the licence completion requirements.
N851 - Phytosanitary Certificate
If the Defra pre-notification is made on PEACH, enter in DE 2/3New Paragraph
| Document Code | N851 |
|---|---|
| Document Identifier | GBPHC (plus the certificate number) |
| Status Code | AG, AP, AS, JA, JE or JS |
If the Defra pre-notification is made on IPAFFS, enter in DE 2/3:
| Document Code | N851 |
|---|---|
| Document Id format | GBCHDyyyy.nnnnnnn |
| Status Code | AE, JA or JE |
Where yyyy = the year in which the certificate was issued, for example
GBCHD2022.2468435.
Do not forget the ‘.’ which is part of the licence completion requirements.
Having made the correct declaration in Data Element 2/3, declarants will also need to follow the following 'workaround' instructions received from HMRC to ensure that the declaration is accepted.
There are two workarounds. The first one concerns Data Element 5/15 (Country of Origin) and the second one concerns Data Element 2/1 (DUCR).
Here are the details:
| Document codes mandating the completion of DE 5/15 Country of Origin | When declaring document codes 9115, C085, C640, C673, C678, N002, N851 or N853 in DE 2/3, you must also declare the Country of Origin in DE 5/15, regardless of the document status code. |
|---|---|
| This is required even if a Country of Preferential Origin has been declared in DE 5/16 |
| Document codes mandating the completion of DE 2/1 with a DUCR | When declaring document codes 9005, 9100, 9101, 9102, 9115, C085, C640, C673, C678, I004, L001, L079, N002, N851, N853 or Y100 in DE 2/3, you must also declare the DUCR, using code DCR, in DE 2/1 (Previous Document) at Header Level. |
|---|---|
| This applies regardless of the document status code used. |
A full list of HMRC CDS workarounds can be assessed on gov.uk here:
Known error workarounds for the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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