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On 19 June 2025, the government published its paper on ’Protecting Animal Health: The Government’s Approach to Veterinary Medicines in Northern Ireland’.

This guidance outlines the changes to requirements for supply to Northern Ireland from 1 January 2026.

Retailers and wholesalers based in Northern Ireland

Authorised veterinary medicines that are already on the market in Northern Ireland (including from Great Britain) before 1 January 2026 may continue to be sold and supplied in Northern Ireland.

For a veterinary medicine to be considered to have been placed on the market in Northern Ireland, the following criteria must have been met:

• The veterinary medicines must have been released onto the market before 1 January 2026 by a Qualified Person (QP) in the UK or the EU; and
• There must have been an offer or agreement (either written or verbal) for the transfer of ownership of the medicine to a legal entity in Northern Ireland. This may include transfer of stock for sale or supply to different legal entities within the same company group.

Veterinary medicines in Great Britain or the EU that meet the above criteria before 1 January 2026 but have not yet been physically delivered may still be supplied to Northern Ireland after that date.

From 1 January 2026, with the exception of arrangements under cascade / Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme, Northern Ireland authorised veterinary medicines from Great Britain can only be moved by the holder of a Manufacturing Authorisation (ManA) granted in accordance with the Windsor Framework who must then ensure each batch of product is tested, to confirm that it meets its required specification before being released to the market by an Northern Ireland or EU based Qualified Person.

This does not apply to products authorised in Northern Ireland and imported directly from the EU.

Wholesalers and retailers based in Northern Ireland can only source Northern Ireland authorised veterinary medicines from suppliers established in Northern Ireland or EU Member States.

Veterinary surgeons and wholesalers may, by exception to the rules, also source medicines that hold an authorisation in Great Britain under the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme (VMIMS) for use under the cascade in line with Articles 112-114 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6. [See the guidance on VMIMS for more information].

Wholesalers based in Great Britain

Wholesalers based in Great Britain must ensure that if they supply veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland, they are supplied only to a Northern Ireland or EU based holder of the appropriate manufacturing authorisation who must perform the appropriate testing and release activities in accordance with the Windsor Framework.

More details on manufacturing requirements are available on Apply to manufacture authorised veterinary medicines or exempt products for small pet animals - ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥.

For more information on supplying Great Britain authorised veterinary medicines for use under the VMIMS in Northern Ireland please see the following guidance, Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme.

Retailers based in Great Britain

Retailers based in Great Britain cannot supply veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland. 

Medicines authorised for placing on the market 

A veterinary medicine authorised in the UK will have an authorisation number preceded by the symbol Vm on its product literature and labels. The Vm symbol shows that the veterinary medicine has been assessed and approved for use in accordance with the instructions on the product literature. (for example, Vm 12345/4000).  

The first five numbers are the Marketing Authorisation Holder’s company number followed by a sequential product number. The first number of the product number element is used as a territory identification number. These are: 

• 4000 (UK-wide Marketing Authorisation (MA)) – Pre-2021 authorisations retaining a UK-wide authorisation – batch testing and batch release activities will need repeating if these move into Northern Ireland from Great Britain, regardless of distribution category, that is, POM-V, POM-VPS, NFA-VPS, AVM-GSL 

• 3000 (Northern Ireland MA) – For MAs authorised in Northern Ireland only, in accordance with the Windsor Framework – batch testing and batch release activities will need repeating if these move into Northern Ireland from Great Britain, regardless of distribution category, that is, POM-V, POM-VPS, NFA-VPS, AVM-GSL 

• 5000 (Great Britain MA) – For MAs valid in Great Britain only. Such products may only be supplied to Northern Ireland under the VMIMS

Some veterinary medicines share common labelling across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Where these products list both a 3000 and a 5000 number, they may be sold and supplied in Northern Ireland. 

Veterinary medicines authorised under the Centralised application route via the European Medicines Agency are also valid in Northern Ireland and will have an EU MA number (EU/V/XXXX).

Reporting shortage

The VMD encourages wholesale dealers and retailers to report instances where veterinary medicines are unavailable due to manufacturing or supply issues.

Marketing Authorisation Holders are reminded that if they are unable to supply medicines to Northern Ireland (for example due to a product shortage or discontinuation) this must be reported to the VMD as soon as possible via the link below:

Report a supply problem with a veterinary medicine - ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥.