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The Groupage Export Facilitation Scheme (GEFS) facilitates the health certification of products intended for groupage export to, or transit through, the European Union (EU) or movement to Northern Ireland by using time-limited support attestations.

The scheme does not remove or change the requirement for each consignment to be accompanied by its own export health certificate (EHC). It听is designed to facilitate the process for Certifying Officers (COs) to obtain some of the relevant information needed to complete the EHC.

What changes under the GEFS scheme

Usually, products of animal origin (POAO) must be inspected at the manufacturing plant on every day of production, by an Official Veterinarian (OV), or Food Competent Certifying Officers (FCCOs) in some circumstances. This confirms health and traceability requirements have been met. The OV or FCCO issues a support attestation (SA) that covers products made that day.

The Groupage Export Facilitation Scheme allows OVs and FCCOs to make just one visit a month and issue an SA that covers all products made for the following 30 calendar days. The manufacturer then provides further information to the exporter鈥檚 Certifying Officer (CO) through a batch declaration.

Scheme requirements

To use the scheme you need to:

• join the Groupage Export Facilitation Scheme (GEFS)
• use manufacturers listed as听businesses approved to export to the EU, who can provide听evidence that their products meet certain requirements

Goods can be exported under the scheme if they are all of the following:

• a category of product covered by the GEFS
• for direct export to or transit through the EU, or moved to Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework
• from a stable supply chain
• packaged for the final consumer

GEFS support attestations

GEFS members may use time-limited GEFS support attestations (SAs) to provide information from manufacturers to COs at the exporting premises.

GEFS SAs can only be used to provide health and traceability information which is stable and verifiable by the OV, or FCCO in some circumstances, when issuing the SA.

SAs are time-limited to 30 calendar days, beginning on the day the SA is signed and covering products produced in the period up to and including the expiry date.

Compliance visits

To get a GEFS听SA, an OV or FCCO must conduct a compliance visit to the manufacturer鈥檚 premises.

Manufacturers should complete the听manufacturer declaration section of the GEFS听SA听to provide the relevant information to the OV or FCCO before or during the compliance visit.

Find a GEFS SA.

At the compliance visit, the OV or FCCO will assess and record all relevant evidence that the conditions of the GEFS and the requirements of the relevant EHC that can be ascertained at the time of the visit have been met.

This could include:

• accurate supply chain, health, traceability and processing records for their products
• contractual agreements
• invoices
• HACCP plans or records
• standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• a physical check of at least a representative sample of the products

If the OV or FCCO is satisfied that all these requirements have been met, they will sign and issue the GEFS SA.

Batch declarations

Each and every delivery of products moved to the exporting premises during the 30 days covered by the support attestation must be accompanied by or electronically linked to both:

• the relevant support attestation
• a commercial document known as a batch declaration

The batch declaration provides further information, specific to that consignment of products, and confirms there have been no changes since the compliance visit.

Export health certificates

Products exported using the GEFS still need EHCs.
You need an听EHC听for each consignment you export. Select the 鈥�GEFS鈥� button on EHC Online when your request your EHC.

Find out how to get an听EHC.

To decide whether to issue the EHC, the certifying officer (CO) will review a range of evidence, including the GEFS SA and batch declaration. The COs will do checks to ensure the accuracy and validity of the GEFS SA provided before issuing the EHC.

Apply to join听GEFS

To join听the GEFS听you need to:

• complete the application form
• email the completed form to听GEFSteam@apha.gov.uk

You must include the following information about each manufacturer that you鈥檙e using for听GEFS:

• the registered address and approval or registration number
• the address of the warehouse or factory where the goods are sent from (if this is different from the registered address)
• a description of the goods you receive from each manufacturer
• the date when each manufacturer started supplying you with each type of goods
• confirmation that the goods are fully packaged for the final consumer by the manufacturer

What happens next

APHA will usually email you within 5 working days to confirm you鈥檝e been accepted to join the scheme. You should keep the email to prove you鈥檙e a member.

Once you鈥檝e joined听the GEFS, your business will be added to the听.

Certifying officers will check you鈥檙e listed as a member of听the GEFS听when they sign export health certificates.

Audits

APHA regularly carries out audits to check that GEFS members and their manufacturers are complying with听the GEFS鈥� terms of use.

During an audit, a selection of your EHCs will be reviewed. You must provide evidence demonstrating that you have met the requirements of the scheme.

You may be suspended or removed from听the GEFS听if:

• you do not comply with the audit process
• evidence of non-compliance is found
• you do not export goods using the GEFS for 6 months

More information

For more details about using the scheme, read the .