Prior notification and booking of control on import of products of non-animal origin
Some products of non-animal origin from certain countries are required to undergo border control on import. Consignments to be inspected at the border must be pre-notified to one of the Swedish Food Agency's border control posts. Here you will find information on how to pre-notify and book controls on import of products of non-animal origin.
Help with imports
There are a lot of factors to bear in mind when importing food. There are specialised companies that help businesses import food, called customs agents or freight forwarders. Search the internet for the words “customs agents and imports” to find examples of customs agents or freight forwarders that you can use.
Pre-notify your import consignment
When you import a product of non-animal origin that is subject to border control, you need to pre-notify the import consignment. The consignment must be pre-notified at least one working day before its expected arrival in the EU territory. The notification is made in the web-based system TRACES.NT by creating what is known as a CHED-D (Common Health Entry Document). Part I of CHED-D is the prior notification itself, and Part II is the border control decision. Further information can be found under the heading TRACES.NT below.
Booking of control
Once you have submitted prior notification, you need to book border control of the consignment. Border control must be booked at least one working day before the desired control date. In cases where legislation requires an official certificate and analytical report, it must be attached to the CHED-D.
Booking border control for consignments with an official certificate
The original of the official certificate must be delivered by post or courier to the border control post at which your import consignment will arrive. Please note that sending original documents by registered mail to the border control post may result in a longer processing time due to the postal service's delivery and opening hours.
Booking border control for consignments that do not require an official certificate
Contact details for border control posts
TRACES.NT
In order to access the TRACES.NT computer system, you must have an EU login. All persons in the organisation/company who are to be able to create and sign a CHED-D need a personal EU login. This EU login enables you to create a user in TRACES.NT. The user can then be linked to an organisation/company (called an operator in TRACES.NT).
For questions about a specific consignment, contact the border control post through which you intend to import your products.
Rules for transshipment
Keep in mind that if your consignment will be transhipped in another EU country, it must be done where there is a border control post. If the border control is to be carried out in Sweden, the transhipment must take place by air or sea. If the transhipment is by road or rail, border control must be completed in the EU country in which the EU border is crossed. This is because the consignment cannot enter the EU territory without an approved CHED-D.
Example: Dried figs are transported by road from Turkey to Sweden. Prior notification must be made to the border control post in the EU country in which the EU border is crossed. When the product arrives in Sweden, it then has an approved CHED-D and only needs to be checked by the Swedish Customs. It can then be sold on the Swedish market.
Another example: Fresh chilli from Uganda is flown to another EU country and transhipped to another flight that then travels to Arlanda. Prior notification must then be made to the border control post at Arlanda. However, if the chilli is flown to another EU country where it is reloaded onto a lorry which then drives to Sweden, prior notification must be made to the border control post in the EU country in which the products first arrived.
