We have free resources available on the rules and requirements for importing food from the UK (excluding Northern Ireland) and for placing these products on the EU Single Market.

Brexit Resources

Find useful information about Brexit in the resources listed below.

• Information Notices

  Flour

  Flour and foods containing flour from Great Britain with added vitamins and minerals, updated advice February 2022

  In October 2021 the European Commission confirmed its advice regarding flour from Great Britain and updated its advice in relation to foods containing fortified flour as follows[¹]:

  Flour

  • Up to 1st January 2021, flour fortified under UK national rules was permitted on the EU market through a derogation available to Member States but this no longer applies to the UK as a third country. UK flour that was on the EU market prior to 1st January 2021 can continue to be traded on the EU market until the end of its shelf life.
  • Since 1st January 2021, flour fortified under UK national rules cannot be placed on the EU market as the flour does not meet the minimum amounts set by the EU rules for levels of vitamins and minerals added to food (this does not apply to flour fortified under Northern Ireland (NI) national rules produced in NI).
  • Unfortified flour (flour which does not have vitamins and minerals added to it) can be placed on the EU market.
  • Flour that is fortified to a significant amount as set out by the EU rules can be placed on the EU market.

  Compound foods (e.g., bread, biscuits, cakes, sauces) containing flour

  • Compound foods made in the UK using flour fortified under UK national rules can be placed on the EU market and are not required to be fortified to a significant amount. The labelling of a food containing this fortified flour has to comply with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and in particular it shall not be misleading for the consumer by implying that the compound food has been fortified.

  • Compound foods made using flour fortified to a significant amount, as set by the EU rules[²] for levels of vitamins and minerals added to food, are not required to be fortified to a significant amount to be placed legally on the EU market. The labelling of a compound food containing a fortified ingredient has to comply with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and in particular it shall not be misleading for the consumer.

  [1] General Food Law - PAFF (europa.eu).↵

  [2] Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods.↵

• Brexit Bites webinars

  The FSAI held a series of Brexit Bite webinars in 2020 to help food businesses prepare for Brexit-related changes. These short videos cover a variety of topics to help businesses prepare for Brexit.

  • FSAI Brexit Bite - Food Businesses Are You Ready?

  • Brexit Bite - What Food Businesses Need to Know

  • Brexit Bite - Importing Food of Animal Origin

  • Brexit Bite: Be Ready for 1 January 2021

• Webinar: Import Documents

  The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine go through the documentation, certification and processes required to import foods of animal origin and explain the documentation, certification and processes involved with importing products of plant origin. To view the DAFM videos from this webinar and other DAFM Brexit webinars, check out their YouTube channel.

  Additionally, the FSAI provide a practical guide to food labelling rules post-Brexit and the HSE provide a webinar on import controls on food of non-animal origin.

  What are the food labelling rules since Brexit? - a practical guide from the FSAI.

  What are the import controls for food of non-animal origin since Brexit? - a guide from the HSE

• Brexit Video Series

  These 90 second videos provide a quick overview of some of the requirements for food imports.

  Brexit will bring change
  Brexit and Food Labelling
  Brexit and Food Imports
  Brexit and Product classification
  Brexit and Port import control

• Other sources of information

  Other Sources of Information

  Ireland

  Brexit Ready Ireland
  Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
  Sea Fisheries Protection Authority
  Health Service Executive (HSE)
  Brexit advice for Local Authority supervised businesses
  National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI)
  Revenue

  Europe

  The European Commission
  European Commission communication on getting ready for changes

  Email us at brexit@fsai.ie with any Brexit related food legislation queries.

• Q&As

  Q&A Brexit and Food Law

  Other Brexit Questions and Answers