The Plant Health Exports Audited Trader Scheme is for the exports of fruit, vegetables and cut flowers and is designed to facilitate export trade while ensuring the requirements of the importing country can be met.

Introduction

PHEATS is a trade facilitation scheme for the exports of fruit, vegetables and cut flowers to the European Union (EU) and Northern Ireland (NI).

Official phytosanitary inspections will be carried out by an authorised person(s) to ensure that any consignments exported under the scheme meet the requirements of the importing country. Only fruit, vegetables (with the exception of ware potatoes) and cut flowers are eligible for this scheme. PHEATS does not cover exports of:

• Plants for planting
• Plant products
• Seeds
• Grain
• Used machinery
• Wood and wood products
• Potatoes (seed and ware)

Further information related to the export of these goods can be found on GOV.UK

Who is eligible for PHEATS?

Exporters of fresh produce and/or cut flowers who send goods to the EU and Northern Ireland (excluding ware potatoes and member states where these goods are prohibited)

What are the benefit of PHEATS?

• PHEATS enables you to keep your products moving, helping with just in time logistics
• You as the trader are able to undertake your own export inspections, moving goods onwards as soon as you are ready
• There is no need to wait for Plant Health and Seed Inspector to visit and undertake checks
• As a PHEATS member you can apply for phytosanitary certificates (PCs) online (APHA will email a scanned copy of the original PC to you and the original hard copy will arrive via 1st class mail).

What do I need to do?

First, you'll need to apply for the export service online using the Plant Health Exports Audited Trader Scheme (PHEATS) application form. You'll then need to identify/nominate both of these people.

1) Person(s) Responsible (PR): They will be responsible for the overall management of the scheme and act as a point of contact for any questions and further information that will be required.

2) Authorised Person(s): They will be the person(s) on site who are authorised to conduct the official export inspections

You will also need to create, implement and monitor an approved "Biosecurity Control Management Plant" (BCMP). Ac check list of everything to include in your BCMP can be found in Appendix 1 of the PHEATS User Guide.

Registration

There are several steps involved in registering and enrolling in the PHEATS scheme, highlighted in the flow chart below. 

Further information can be found in the documents listed below, which includes helpful information around the scheme, an application form, FAQ and a quick reference acronym guide.

Documents and Guides 

Application Form

Once the initial application has been submitted both the Person Responsible (PR) and the authorised person(s) will be contacted and provided with further information on how to undertake the training for PHEATS. Before undertaking the training ensure that you have thoroughly read the User Guide and application form.

Please find links below to additional pages of guidance and FAQs around PHEATS:

• User guide for PHEATS
• FAQs on PHEATS
• Acronym Guide

Fees

Exports under PHEATS is a chargeable service, further information related to fees for PHEATS can be found within the User Guide and the table below. 

Businesses moving goods to Northern Ireland and registered under PHEATS from the 1 July 2021 will receive defrayment of the initial site visit and ongoing auditing where trade is GB-NI only. Further information on what costs are defrayed and what occurs if you export goods to the EU can be found in the FAQ.