Importing and exporting biocidal products and treated articles

Importing to Great Britain

If you are importing biocidal products or treated articles into Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland), you must comply with all relevant GB legislation before you place the product or treated article on the market.

Find out if the biocidal product or treated article you want to import complies with GB laws on biocides.

If you are importing biocidal products into Great Britain from Northern Ireland, you may need to notify HSE. Find out about unfettered access for biocides.

Placing on the market means making the product or treated article available on the market for the first time. This means the first act of supply of a biocidal product or treated article, whether in return for payment or free of charge. Some examples of this could include:

  • manufacturer to distributor, retail store or end user
  • importer to distributor, retailer or end user

You should find out if UK REACH applies to the biocidal product or treated article you want to import.

If you are importing biocidal products or treated articles into Great Britain with the sole intention of re-exporting it outside of Great Britain, this is not considered as placing on the GB market where:

  • the biocidal product or treated article is not released for free circulation
  • has not left the stocks of the importer, for example, it's not supplied for distribution or use on the GB market

If the product or treated article is not placed on the market in GB prior to export, GB BPR does not apply.

Exporting to the EU or Northern Ireland

If you are exporting biocidal products or treated articles to Northern Ireland, the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, you must comply with all legislation applicable in that country, including the EU Biocidal Products Regulation (EU BPR).

You may also need to comply with GB legislation such as GB Prior Informed Consent (GB PIC) or specific customs and export rules.

Exporting to a non-EU country

If you are exporting biocidal products or treated articles outside of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, you should check any relevant legislation in the importing country. You may be asked by the importing country to provide a Certificate of Free Sale (CFS) if you are exporting a biocidal product or an active substance.

A CFS is an official document confirming that the product complies with the relevant laws on biocides and may be freely sold across Great Britain. HSE can issue various CFS or Export Statements depending on the status of the biocidal product or active substance, for example, whether it is already authorised or approved under GB BPR or being evaluated.

You may also need to comply with other GB legislation such as GB Prior Informed Consent (GB PIC) or specific customs and export rules.

Is this page useful?

Updated 2021-07-19