October 6,  2020

UK prepares veterinarians for post-Brexit export requirements

A  £300,000 (US$389,663) training fund by the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) aims to boost the number of veterinarians that are qualified to certify products of animal origin for export.

Defra has launched the fund for veterinarians and local authority officials to access free training to support the country's preparedness for the end of the Brexit transition period.

From January 1, 2021, an export health certificate (EHC) -- a document that confirms an export of live animals or animal products meets health requirements -- will be needed to export to the European Union. Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, movements of live animals and animal products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will require the same level of certification.

Health documentation is certified by either official veterinarians (OVs) or food competent certifying officers (FCCOs).

The fund will also aim to increase the number of certification support officers (CSOs) who can support OVs and FCCOs through a range of preliminary tasks to prepare consignments for certification. However, they cannot sign health documentation in their own right.

- UK Government