April 12, 2024
AGI News
Customs
The UK Government has recently announced that as part of the changes to import controls under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), from 30th April 2024, the Common User Charge will apply to commercial imports entering Great Britain through the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel, and transits entering and leaving Great Britain. The charges will apply to goods being imported from all countries.
Please note, plant and animal products are being treated separately, with plant products not being charged transit fees, and there is no charge for low-risk plants and plant products.
The list of charges can be found below, along with instances where charges will not apply.
| Commodity Type | Imports | Transits |
| Low-risk products of animal origin (POAO) | £10 | £10 |
| Medium-risk POAO | £29 | £10 |
| High-risk POAO | £29 | £10 |
| High-risk food and feed not of animal origin (HRFNAO) | £29 | No Common User Charge |
| Low-risk plants and plant products | No Common User Charge | No Common User Charge |
| Medium-risk plants and plant products | £29 | No Common User Charge |
| High-risk plants and plant products | £29 | No Common User Charge |
In addition to the above exclusions, goods imported for personal use entering Great Britain via the Eurostar, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle or Dover Ferry passenger service will not need to pay the Common User Charge.
For goods that are eligible, the Common User Charge will be applied to each commodity line in a Common Health Entry Document (CHED). The maximum charge for one CHED will be limited to 5 commodity lines, irrespective of the number of commodity lines present in the CHED. This means high-risk CHEDs will be not exceed £145.
Low-risk POAO CHEDs and POAO transits will be capped at £50.
No VAT will be added to these charges, and Defra will review the rates annually, updating the charges if required.
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