Businesses importing live animals, germinal products, products of animal origin and animal by-products into Great Britain should review two immediate developments. HMRC has tightened Customs Declaration Service validation, increasing the risk of rejected declarations where origin and preference data are incomplete or inconsistent. At the same time, disease controls have been updated following confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Chile’s Talagante province.
Taken together, these changes matter for importers, customs intermediaries and supply chain teams handling sanitary and phytosanitary goods. Errors at declaration stage can now stop goods from clearing, whilst sourcing from restricted areas creates an added compliance risk.
What’s Changed
HMRC’s recent CDS changes mean traders must continue to use the standard two-digit ISO country code in Data Element 5/15 for Country of Origin. New country-group codes, expanded formats and four-digit codes should not be used. Preference codes also need to be applied correctly. Where a preferential tariff claim is being made, Data Element 5/16 for Country of Preferential Origin must be completed to support validation of that claim.
For Great Britain declarations where no preferential treatment is claimed and a 100 series preference code is used, DE 5/16 is not required. Northern Ireland movements need closer attention. Where DE 4/17 contains a UK 100 series preference code and an NI or EU preference code is declared against AI code EUPRF in DE 2/2, DE 5/16 must still be completed. If it is omitted, the declaration will be rejected.
Impact on UK Businesses
Improved CDS validation means declarations that may have passed previously can now fail. That increases the chance of border delays, extra administrative work and disruption to pre-lodged consignments submitted before the R5.1 release. Traders should review existing declaration data, amend pre-lodged entries where needed, and ensure origin evidence is retained where preferential treatment is claimed.
There is also a sanitary and phytosanitary development to watch. Following confirmation of HPAI in Talagante on 24/03/2026, imports into Great Britain from that Chilean province have been temporarily suspended for live poultry and ratites, hatching eggs, fresh poultry, ratite and wild game bird meat, and meat products unless treated to treatment D or above. Imports from HPAI-free zones in Chile can continue, but traders should check the latest approved lists before shipment.
What Members Should Do
Businesses should check how DE 5/15, DE 5/16 and preference codes are currently being used, particularly for Northern Ireland movements and any supplementary or pre-lodged declarations. Businesses sourcing poultry-related goods from Chile should also verify province-level eligibility before shipment and keep a close eye on updated restriction lists.
How TVCC Can Help
For support with customs declarations, import procedures or border compliance, contact Thames Valley Chamber’s trade team on 01753 870560 or email trade@tvchamber.co.uk.
Our customs team is advising members to review declaration data and origin evidence straight away. ChamberCustoms® Declaration Service and our Customs Helpline can help resolve issues before goods are held.
Read the original sources: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/customs-declaration-service-service-availability-and-issues
