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Datamatrix – Export Licence

Suite 602

EXPORT LICENCE


Do I need a Licence?

Technology and Defence

Animals and animal products

Antiques and Works of Art

Prescription Drugs and Medicines

Flowers, wildlife, plants & seeds

Chemicals and Pesticides

602.01 DO I NEED A LICENCE?

If your business is considered exporting goods, you will need to check if you need an export licence – particularly if you're planning to export military goods or technology, artworks, plants and animals, medicines or chemicals.

And since exporting controlled goods without a licence is a criminal offence, it's important to check first.

Whether a licence is required sometimes depends on what an item can potentially be used for. For example, an item produced by an engineering firm that has a largely civil use might also have a military application and therefore need a licence.

The following provides general information terms and restrictions.

You must seek the appropriate government department for your export licensing.

602.02 TECHNOLOGY AND DEFENCE

Restrictions on the export of technology and defence goods do not just apply to weapons or military hardware. They also apply to goods that are designed for civil use but can be used for military purposes – items such as machine tools, computers and marine equipment. There are also some restrictions on moving military goods between third countries.

If you're planning to export anything with a potential military use you should always seek advice on whether a licence is required.

602.03 ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS

The exportation of live animals and animal products such as meat, dairy goods, pet food and wool is the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Defra is often required by the importing country's veterinary authorities to provide certain animal health, public health and animal welfare assurances. It does this by producing export documents – typically a veterinary health certificate. These certificates usually require a consignment to be inspected by a Defra-approved veterinarian shortly before export to confirm that the necessary assurances can be met.

The regulations that apply to a particular export vary widely. Factors such as the destination country, the species, the nature of the animal products and the intended use of the consignment all influence the conditions that must be met.

Because of the array of live animals and meat that can be exported, different regulations apply to different species. In most instances however, there are standards in place for the care, treatment and processing of animals. You can call the Defra Helpline on Tel 08459 33 55 77.

Businesses wishing to export live animals have certain responsibilities:

  • They should conform to the appropriate import conditions for their consignment with the authorities in the importing country. Consignments that do not meet a country's import rules could be refused entry, returned or destroyed.
  • They must allow enough time for the certification process to be completed before the export takes place. It usually takes about ten days for a certificate to be produced and some require certain conditions to have been met for a month, or sometimes considerably longer, before departure.
  • They need to ensure that their consignment meet any relevant government rules, as well as those of the importing country.

Application forms for export health certificates can be obtained from local Animal Health Division Offices of Defra.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/int-trde/export-cert/euexportsandtraces.htm

Read about the trade of animal and animal products within the European Union on the Defra website. You can also find more information on live animal and meat exports in general on the Defra website:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/int-trde/default.htm

602.04 ANTIQUES AND WORKS OF ART

In the United Kingdom :

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has responsibility for export controls on antiques and works of art.

It's possible that you'll need to apply for an export licence to export goods that are more than 50 years old and above a certain financial threshold. For example, you'll need to apply for a licence if you want to export a book that's more than 100 years old and worth more than £30,400, to another EC country. You can read about export licensing for antiques and works of art on the DCMS website.

http://www.culture.gov.uk/cultural_property/export_licensing.htm

If the criteria apply and you want to export an item to another EC country, you'll need to apply for a UK licence. If you want to export such an item outside the EC, you'll need to apply inmost cases for an EC licence. DCMS has produced a flowchart that you can use to determine whether you need a licence and, if so, which type; You can download the export licence flowchart from the DCMS website (PDF):

http://www.culture.gov.uk

602.05 PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND MEDICINES

Prescription drugs and medicines and materials used to manufacture them

In the United Kingdom :

Anyone wanting to export prescription drugs or medicines should contact the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an agency of the Department of Health.

The MHRA issues three types of export certificate:

  • Certificate of a pharmaceutical product – which includes detailed information about the product.
  • Certificate of manufacturing status – which certifies that a manufacturing licence is held.
  • ECS7 – which certifies if a chemical can be used as an ingredient of a pharmaceutical product in the UK .

Visit the MHRA website to download export application forms or you can call the MHRA Export Section Enquiry Line on Tel 020 7084 2593.

http://medicines.mhra.gov.uk/inforesources/infolicapps/licappforms/licappforms.htm#Introduction

For details of how to export dangerous drugs as well as the chemicals and reagents used to manufacture medicines, you should contact the Home Office Drug Licensing Enquiry Line on Tel 020 7217 8446

http://www.medicines.mhra.gov.uk

602.06 FLOWERS, WILDLIFE, PLANTS & SEEDS

To prevent the spread of pests and diseases, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for making sure that the export of flowers, wildlife, plants and seeds meets the requirements of importing countries.

If you're exporting such items to a country outside the EC, you should find your nearest plant health and seeds inspector in the list on the Defra website. An inspector will be able to help ensure that you meet the requirements if the country to which you're exporting.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/impexp.htm

However, if you're exporting to countries within the EC, you may require a “plant passport”. This depends on the type of items you want to export and the nature of your business.

You can read about plants and plant products which may require special papers for export on the Defra website. A downloadable guide also tells you how to apply for authorisation.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pass.htm

You can find a list of the various export forms you can download on the Defra website.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/regulat/forms/phealth/index.htm#export

602.07 CHEMICALS AND PESTICIDES

If you're planning to export pesticides or chemicals – in particular hazardous chemicals – you may need to obtain consent to do so and obtain prior informed consent (PIC). This is overseen by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which makes sure that:

  • Chemicals are exported at least six months before their expiry date
  • No chemicals are exported that are banned within the EU
  • Exports to countries outside the EU are packaged and labelled to the same standard as those within the EU.

The Industrial Chemicals Unit of the HSE will be able to supply you with a list of chemicals and pesticides that are subject to the PIC procedure. You can contact the Health and Safety Executive Industrial Chemicals Unit on Tel 0151 951 4820

Read about export licensing for chemicals and pesticides on the HSE website, where you can also download the required notification form and check with your specific government.

AUSTRALIA

http://www.sa.gov.au/

http://www.nla.gov.au/oz/gov/

http://www.gov.info.au/

CANADA

http://www.canada.gc.ca/depts/major/depind.e.html

IRELAND

http://www.irlgov.ie/

NEW ZEALAND

http://www.govt.nz/

http://www.ecommerce.govt.nz/

UNITED STATES

http://www.firstgov.gov/

http://www.export.gov/

UNITED KINGDOM

http://www.dti.gov.uk/ (regulations and law)

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/

http://www.sbs.gov.uk/ (small business service)

You can visit the Export Control Organisation section of the DTI website or call the DTI Export Control Organisation Helpline to check whether restrictions are likely to apply.

As well as applying to specific types of products, restrictions also apply to certain destinations – in particular those to which trade sanctions and arms embargoes apply. Again, you should seek advice.

In the United Kingdom the following licences are available:

  • Standard Individual Export Licence – this allows export of a quantity of specified goods to a specified importer as set out in the licence.
  • Open Individual Export Licence – this is specific to an individual exporter and allows multiple shipments of specified goods to specified destinations.
  • Open General Export Licence – this allows the export of specific goods by an exporter.

You can submit a completed Standard Individual Export Licence online by using the Export Licensing via the Internet System (ELVIS). This service will ensure that the application is fully validated. It will allow you to electronically attach all your relevant documentation, cutting down on the time it takes to get your application into the system.

Enrol in the Export Licensing via the Internet System with Sign-up Manager.

If your business has a digital certificate, and wishes to use it to enrol in ELVIS, please use the services on the Government Gateway website.

http://www.dti.gov.uk/export.control

Please see ‘ Acknowledgements ' for sources of research.

AID TO TRADE
UNDERSTANDING TRADE
WHAT IS TRADE?
THE ORIGIN OF TRADE
THEORY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE
ORGANIZATION OF TRADE
CURRENCY AND THE TRADING LANGUAGE
THE HISTORY OF CURRENCY
CURRENCY A UNIT OF EXCHANGE
THE LANGUAGE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE
IMPORT / EXPORT TERMINOLOGY
TRADE ETHICS, TRENDS AND POLICIES
ETHICAL TRADING
RISKS AND REWARDS
ECONOMIC TRADE POLICIES
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
GETTING STARTED
EXPORTING ? THE START
ASSESSING YOUR EXPORT POTENTIAL
PREPARING YOUR PRODUCT FOR EXPORT
PRICING, QUOTATIONS AND TERMS
MARKETING
MARKET RESEARCH
MARKET INFORMATION
MARKET ENTRY
THE MARKETING PLAN
STRATEGY, PORTS AND WAREHOUSES
EXPORT LICENCE
IMPORTING
AN EXPORT STRATEGY
SHIPPING
DOCUMENTATION, FOOD, DRUG AND ENVIRONMENT
DOCUMENTATION
BONDED WAREHOUSE
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS
FOOD, DRUG & ENVIRONMENT
PAYMENT, CREDIT AND FINANCE PROGRAMS
METHODS OF PAYMENT
EXPORT CREDIT
EXPORT FINANCE PROGRAMS
EXPORT FINANCE PROTECTION
REPRESENTATION AND INTELLIGENCE
TRADE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
OFFSHORE REPRESENTATION
EXAMPLE FORMS
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
THE PENTHOUSE - INTERACTION
FINANCE
THE DIRECTORS CLUB
THE CONFERENCE ROOM
THE SITE?S BONUS FEATURES


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