Importing composite products

The definition of composite products includes those products, where the processing of primary product is an integral part of the production of the final product.

Please note that any links to legislation provided in this document are for information purposes only and may not be the most recent versions.

Please be aware that import conditions may be updated due to changes in policy or legislation. It is the importer's responsibility to ensure they have the latest information.

General Information

Assimilated Commission Decision 2007/275/EC and Regulation No. 28/2012 set out import conditions for importing composite products from approved countries.

Requirements include that the composite product must come from a country listed in the legislation as approved for the product of animal origin contained in the composite product and have an approved veterinary residue plan as required by Decision 2011/163/EU, as listed here. 

The meat product, milk product, egg product and fishery product content of the composite product must also have come from an approved country and where appropriate from an approved establishment.

The composite product must be accompanied by the relevant official certificate in Regulation 2019/628 if they contain processed meat, milk, egg or fishery product.

Composite products containing any other animal product must be accompanied by the relevant certificate required for the animal content or in other cases by a commercial document.

Composite products referred to above are subject to veterinary checks at Border Control Posts (BCPs).

Products not subject to checks

A composite product that contains no processed meat product and less than half its substance of other processed product of animal origin is not subject to veterinary checks at BCPs when they meet the requirements of Article 6 of assimilated Decision 2007/275/EC.

Annex II of Decision 2007/275/EC lists some composite products and foodstuffs which are not subject to veterinary checks and these are

• confectionery (including sweets) and chocolate, containing less than 50% of processed dairy and egg products
• pasta and noodles not mixed or filled with processed meat product; containing less than 50% of processed dairy and egg products
• bread, cakes, biscuits, waffles and wafers, rusks, toasted bread, and similar toasted products that contain less than 20% of processed dairy and egg products
• olives stuffed with fish
• soup stocks and flavourings packaged for the final consumer, that contain less than 50% of fish oils, fish powders or fish extracts
• food supplements packaged for the final consumer, which contain small amounts (in total less than 20%) of processed animal products other than meat products

Food business operators are reminded that it is their responsibility to ensure any foodstuffs they want to import comply with national rules in place to protect public and animal health. Importers should satisfy themselves that any composite products coming to GB comply with the import conditions as set out in Decision 2007/275/EC and Regulation 28/2012. It is worth remembering that where a safeguard control applies, for instance Indian aquaculture, to the processed products of animal origin, it would also apply to the finished composite product.

Importing composite products from EU and non-EU countries

Imported composite food from the EU are considered as low risk and subject to different levels of checks at the border, which are described on GOV.UK.

For non-EU imported composite foods, these are treated as medium risk and this guidance describes the controls that will be applied at the border.

The above links show the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) risk categories and inspection percentages for imports of composite products.

Imports will be subject to identity checks and physical checks. The percentage rates of identity and physical checks (the inspection rate) depends on the risk category of the commodity being imported:

• medium-risk category commodities will be inspected at a rate between 1% and 30%
• low-risk category commodities will not be subject to routine inspection, but they may be subject to non-routine or intelligence-led checks

Products from non-EU countries are considered as low risk if they are shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised. The above link provides further guidance on what products be shelf-stable.