Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS): how the scheme will work
The Windsor Framework establishes a new way to move retail goods for final consumers such as food, pet food and food contact materials from Great Britain into Northern Ireland.
Businesses moving these goods will be able to benefit from the new arrangements provided in the Windsor Framework by registering for the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS).
The NIRMS replaced the Scheme for Temporary Agrifood Movements into Northern Ireland (STAMNI) from 1 October 2023 and businesses can register on GOV.UK.
Moving goods under the NIRMS means businesses will:
- Avoid extensive and costly certification and assurance processes
- Be able to move products that meet UK public health, organics and fisheries rules
In the Windsor Framework arrangements covered by the NIRMS scheme, goods will be moved based on a single General Certificate for eligible consignments, supported by a packing list.
There will be no need for an official veterinary or plant health inspector to approve the documentation. Instead, goods will move based on a trader declaration under the authority of the UK competent authority.
Eligible goods include Great Britain origin products, Northern Ireland products processed in Great Britain, and EU origin products and those goods on the Rest of World approved list.
Great Britain and Northern Ireland businesses must register on GOV.UK by providing business details, establishment information and a UK Food Business Operator or Public Health registration number. Registration with the Government Gateway, Export Health Certificate Online (EHC Online), Common Health Entry Document Operator Portal (CHOP) and TRACES NT are also essential.
The Common Health Entry Document Operator Portal (CHOP) is a DAERA bespoke database designed specifically for the benefit of Northern Ireland traders to ease the movement of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is used to hold Common Health Entry Documents (CHED), and for uploading Channelling returns.
Traders pre-notify DAERA through TRACES NT at least four hours before goods arrive in Northern Ireland, using the Common Health Entry Document (CHED).
The owner or the responsible person for all establishments dispatching or receiving NIRMS consignments will need to register for the scheme.
Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS) – Movement Requirements
- All consignments must be sealed with a uniquely numbered seal that is compliant with UK official standards at the point of departure. The seal number must be recorded on the CHED and General Certificate.
- A seal integrity check on all NIRMS consignments will take place at the Great Britain port of departure, verifying and reconciling seal details with records submitted on CHED and the General Certificate.
The Great Britain supplier will create the General Certificate on the existing Export Health Certificate Online (EHCO) portal and will provide this and the packing list for the consignment to the Northern Ireland Responsible for Load who completes the CHED. Full guidance on completing the General Certificate and packing list creation can be found on how to register and seal consignments on GOV.UK.
At least four hours in advance of moving eligible goods into Northern Ireland under NIRMS arrangements, Northern Ireland traders must create a Common Health Entry Document for Products of Animal Origin (CHED-P) on TRACES NT. This will pre-notify the relevant DAERA SPS Inspection Facilities of the arrival of the consignment.
There is a requirement for the Northern Ireland consignee to confirm receipt of the goods within 48 hours to the Northern Ireland Competent Authority.
The packing list will need to be uploaded as part of the General Certificate application, which needs to be submitted before raising the CHED. The CHED must be submitted at least four hours prior to the goods arriving in Northern Ireland. The General Certificate (including the packing list) will also need to be uploaded by the Northern Ireland Responsible for Load during the CHED application in TRACES NT.
- Mixed loads can include NIRMS and non-scheme consignments.
- The lorry as a whole doesn't benefit from full scheme facilitations, but compliant goods move under a General Certificate.
- Non-scheme consignments in the load must meet the EU Official Controls Regulation (OCR) inspection requirements.
Yes. In line with other movements, to move grouped consignments under NIRMS, both the business listing the Establishment of Departure (the ‘consignor’) and the business listing the Establishment of Destination (the ‘consignee’) must be registered.
For further information, please refer to the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme Checklist.