Customs notice: Some SPS goods held up by digital service issues, Defra issues advice for traders

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) notified traders that some digital border services were experiencing technical issues last night (12 September).

While the issues were resolved earlier today (13 September), Defra is still advising exporters to act if they have goods that have been cleared by customs authorities but have not yet been released.

Email Defra

If traders’ sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) cleared goods “continue to be held for a long period of time at a point of entry”, despite the submitted CHED for their goods showing a VALID status on the dashboard in the Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS), they and their agents are advised to contact Defra at servicetransformation.support@defra.gov.uk.

The notice explains that the email subject for those affected should read: ‘Urgent- goods held at point of entry’. Traders must also include:

1. A Common Health Entry Document (CHED) Reference Number, (provided in IPAFFS after the CHED is submitted) 
2. A Movement Reference Number (MRN), (created when your agent submits a customs declaration on CDS) 

Traders are also advised to provide that information in the body text of the email and not as an attachment, which Defra says could delay resolution of the issue:

“This process can only be used for goods impacted by this issue and not for any other or future scenarios”.

Removing goods from border locations

“Exceptionally,” it adds, “we are also instructing traders with SPS cleared goods (cleared in IPAFFS as above), to remove those goods from border locations. Customs declarations will be finalised in HMRC systems as soon as possible.”

Defra also instructs traders not to contact HMRC’s National Clearance Hub (NCH), “as they will not be able to assist you in this instance”. 

While the issue has been resolved, Defra says it will be monitoring the situation over the coming weeks.