Approvals of food establishments in Northern Ireland: Introduction

This document sets out:

• the governance, policy and other arrangements for FSA approvals of food establishments in Northern Ireland
• the FSA’s implementation of relevant obligations contained in Regulation (EU) 2017/625
• procedures for food business operators (FBOs) to follow when applying for approval under Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004

More detailed arrangements will be covered in FSA standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the Manual for Official Controls as deemed necessary.

1.1 Approval responsibilities

The FSA is responsible for the approval of slaughterhouses, cutting plants, game handling establishments, raw liquid milk processors and egg packing centres in Northern Ireland subject to approval under Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004.  

Any co-located cold store, re-wrapping/repacking activities, minced meat, meat preparations, mechanically separated meat activities or processing plant are also approved by the FSA. When not connected with the above FSA establishments, these activities are approved by the relevant DC.  

1.2 Delivery of Official Controls at approved establishments:

FSA approved establishments, are subject to official controls enforced and executed by DAERA VPHP (in slaughterhouses, cutting plants, and game handling establishments) and DAERA AfIB (in raw liquid milk processors and egg packing centres) on behalf of the FSA.

DCs are responsible for the delivery of official controls at the premises that they approved.

The term ‘integrated establishment’ is applied to FSA approved establishments in Northern Ireland that require hygiene official controls to be undertaken by both DAERA (on the behalf of the FSA) and the DC within a common curtilage, for example, a cutting plant and a fishery products processor within the same FSA approved establishment.

A more detailed description of the division of responsibilities between DCs and the FSA can be found in the Food Law Practice Guidance for Northern Ireland - 2.13.1 Division of responsibilities between local authorities and FSA.

As the competent authority (CA), the FSA must establish procedures in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, for approving these establishments under Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004.