Food safety and licensing

Any food business which exports food and drink to other countries may be required to provide the receiving country with a certificate relating to the safety of the food, or the safety of the premises where the food was produced.

It is important that you contact us at least 5 working days before the certificate is required. 

There is a charge for this service.

Food businesses trading in East Lothian and which are registered and inspected by Environmental Health, can apply to this Service for an export certificate. We will only provide certificates for registered establishments which we inspect, and in circumstances where we can inspect the food or drink intended for export.

This is a service we provide, in appropriate circumstances, to support and assure confidence in the East Lothian food and drink industry. There is a cost for providing this service.

We will normally provide certificates based on standards set out in guidance issued by COSLA and the Society of Chief Environmental Health Officers in Scotland. Different countries may have specific requirements in regard to the level of information these certificates should have. The arrangements between countries on such requirements will be agreed by appropriate government departments. It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure the certificate requested will meet with the requirements of the importing country.

All enquiries regarding export certificates should be directed to Environmental Health. One of our Officers will discuss your requirements with you and issue the appropriate certificate application form which should then be completed and returned to us.

It is important that you contact us at least one week before they certificate is required as we may need to inspect and/or sample the product.

Certificates will not be issued for any product which has left the control of the business and which cannot be inspected by us.

Certificates are official documents and will be sent by post.