Ukrainian Poultry Meat and Eggs in the UK to March 2028: What the Tariff Preference Means for Commercial Buyers
The UK has extended tariff-free treatment for Ukrainian poultry meat and eggs to 31 March 2028. What that means for importers, processors and food-service buyers, which products it can apply to, what still has to be checked, and how to brief a comparable RFQ.
By HatchMatch Group Editorial Desk · Last updated 2026-10-25
In short
Short answer: from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028, poultry meat and eggs that originate in Ukraine can enter the UK without customs duty, under an extension the UK Government announced to Parliament on 19 January 2026. It is a temporary tariff preference, not a new veterinary authorisation. Each consignment still needs an approved Ukrainian establishment, a zone listed for the product, the matching Great Britain health certificate, valid proof of origin, pre-notification and border checks.
Key takeaways
- 19 January 2026: the UK Government told Parliament that tariff liberalisation for Ukrainian poultry and eggs would be extended for two years, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028.
- The preference changes customs duty only.
- Read on the GB list of countries approved for poultry and poultry products (file updated 30 July 2026):
- Commodity code confirmed in the UK Integrated Online Tariff, with the Ukraine preferential rate for the import date.
- State chilled or frozen per line, the temperature range you require and the reefer set point.
Short answer: from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028, poultry meat and eggs that originate in Ukraine can enter the UK without customs duty, under an extension the UK Government announced to Parliament on 19 January 2026. It is a temporary tariff preference, not a new veterinary authorisation. Each consignment still needs an approved Ukrainian establishment, a zone listed for the product, the matching Great Britain health certificate, valid proof of origin, pre-notification and border checks. For buyers, the opportunity is a lower landed duty on eligible product for a fixed window — worth briefing now, with the checks built into the request.
Who this is for: UK importers, processors, food manufacturers and food-service distributors buying poultry meat, table eggs or egg products. HatchMatch, part of Global B2B Group, is a commercial coordinator: buyers send one structured request, a person reviews it, and the sourcing team contacts suitable suppliers on the buyer's behalf. HatchMatch is not a government body, regulator, producer or certifier, and importers and exporters remain responsible for compliance.
What changed — and for how long
- 19 January 2026: the UK Government told Parliament that tariff liberalisation for Ukrainian poultry and eggs would be extended for two years, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028.
- 16 January 2026: Agreement No. 4 was signed. From 1 April 2028 scheduled duties return; where a tariff-rate quota applies, the in-quota duty is nil. The agreement keeps a temporary safeguard mechanism.
- 1 April 2026: SI 2026/253 gave the extension effect in UK tariff law.
For contracts, this means a known end date. Price any delivery after 31 March 2028 both with and without the preference, and agree who carries a duty change.
Want these figures for your own site, capacity and country? A HatchMatch specialist builds the budget with you — no buyer fees.
Start freeWhat it does not change
The preference changes customs duty only. Great Britain's sanitary rules decide whether a product may enter, and they are checked separately for every consignment. Our Ukraine → UK tariff-preference guide sets out each check with its official source.
Which products — and how to specify them
Read on the GB list of countries approved for poultry and poultry products (file updated 30 July 2026):
| Product | GB veterinary listing for Ukraine | Specify in your RFQ |
|---|---|---|
| Poultry meat (fresh, chilled or frozen) | Listed for the whole country except zones marked UA-2, which carry avian-influenza restrictions | Species, whole bird or cut, bone-in or boneless, fresh/chilled/frozen, pack size, labelling language, shelf life |
| Table eggs | Whole country listed (certificate model E) | Size, grade, shell colour, packing and egg marketing-standard compliance |
| Egg products | Whole country listed (certificate model EP) | Liquid, frozen or dried; whole egg, yolk or albumen; pack format and storage temperature |
| Hatching eggs, day-old chicks, breeding poultry | No Ukrainian entry in the list read | Not a route HatchMatch progresses without written APHA confirmation |
| Processed or composite poultry products | Separate lists and rules | Commodity code and product composition, checked before quoting |
Plant approval is checked per establishment. Defra publishes the list of approved non-EU establishments (dated 23 October 2026) with each plant's activities. Ask suppliers for the approval number of every plant that slaughters, cuts, packs or stores the product.
Trade and compliance checklist
- Commodity code confirmed in the UK Integrated Online Tariff, with the Ukraine preferential rate for the import date.
- Proof of Ukrainian origin under the agreement's rules of origin (EUR.1 or an origin declaration); repacking alone does not confer origin.
- Producing zone listed for the commodity, with no closure on the production date.
- Each plant on the GB establishment list for its activity.
- Matching GB health certificate from the Ukrainian competent authority.
- IPAFFS pre-notification and a border control post designated for the commodity; check the BTOM risk category for the exact code.
- For shell eggs, compliance with the rules for importing eggs to Great Britain.
- Northern Ireland checked separately; it has different arrangements.
Cold-chain considerations
- State chilled or frozen per line, the temperature range you require and the reefer set point.
- Ask for temperature-logger records for the whole journey, available to the border control post and to your receiving warehouse.
- Agree the maximum transit time and the minimum remaining shelf life on arrival.
- For eggs and egg products, the Codex Code of Hygienic Practice for Eggs and Egg Products is the general reference for handling, storage and transport; your own specification and UK rules decide the limits.
- Plan receiving: probe checks, label scans and lot records at the dock, so each delivery can be traced back to its plant and production date.
How to brief a comparable RFQ
One structured brief lets suppliers quote on the same basis. In the HatchMatch sourcing request, state the product and specification, quantity per delivery and number of deliveries, the delivery schedule, the GB destination and Incoterm, the documents you need (establishment approval, veterinary certificate, certificate of origin), packaging, cold-chain requirements, and optionally payment terms and financing need. A person reviews every brief and runs a regulatory check on product, origin and destination before any supplier is contacted. Product briefs start at USD 250,000 in total annual, seasonal or single-lot value; buyers pay nothing.
Start with a pre-filled brief: Ukrainian poultry meat for the UK, Ukrainian table eggs for the UK or Ukrainian egg products for the UK. The RFQ checklist and the poultry and egg catalog show how to write each specification.
Related guides
- Ukraine → UK tariff preference: every check with its source
- United Kingdom poultry import guide
- Market-entry checklist: from market research to a qualified RFQ
- Poultry export readiness and buyer match
- Trade restrictions register
Sources
- UK Parliament — written statement HCWS1247, 19 Jan 2026
- Agreement No. 4 (CP 1499), signed 16 Jan 2026
- SI 2026/253, made 9 Mar 2026, in force 1 Apr 2026
- Defra/APHA — GB country list for poultry and poultry products, file updated 30 Jul 2026
- Defra — approved non-EU establishments, list dated 23 Oct 2026
- GOV.UK — BTOM risk categories, read 25 Oct 2026
- GOV.UK — Trade with Ukraine: rules of origin, read 25 Oct 2026
- GOV.UK — Import eggs to Great Britain, updated 30 Apr 2024
- Codex — Code of Hygienic Practice for Eggs and Egg Products
- UK Integrated Online Tariff
Frequently asked questions
Is Ukrainian chicken tariff-free in the UK? Yes, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028, for poultry meat and eggs that originate in Ukraine and are imported with valid proof of origin. The preference covers customs duty only.
Does the tariff extension approve Ukrainian plants for the UK? No. It is a tariff preference, not a veterinary authorisation. Plants must be on the GB establishment list, the zone must be listed and each consignment needs the GB health certificate.
Can Ukrainian table eggs and egg products be imported into Great Britain? Ukraine is listed for the whole country for eggs and egg products on the GB list read on 25 October 2026. Each consignment still needs an approved plant, the matching certificate and border checks.
What happens after 31 March 2028? Scheduled UK duties return from 1 April 2028; where a tariff-rate quota applies, the in-quota duty is nil. Contracts running past that date should price both cases.
What cold-chain records should buyers ask for? Temperature range and reefer set point per line, logger records for the whole journey, maximum transit time and minimum remaining shelf life on arrival.
Does HatchMatch supply Ukrainian poultry or guarantee approval? No. HatchMatch is a buyer-side commercial coordinator: it reviews the brief, screens suppliers and compares offers. It does not import, export, certify or guarantee approval, price or supply.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ukrainian chicken tariff-free in the UK?
- Yes, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028, for poultry meat and eggs that originate in Ukraine and are imported with valid proof of origin. The preference covers customs duty only.
- Does the tariff extension approve Ukrainian plants for the UK?
- No. It is a tariff preference, not a veterinary authorisation. Plants must be on the GB establishment list, the zone must be listed and each consignment needs the GB health certificate.
- Can Ukrainian table eggs and egg products be imported into Great Britain?
- Ukraine is listed for the whole country for eggs and egg products on the GB list read on 25 October 2026. Each consignment still needs an approved plant, the matching certificate and border checks.
- What happens after 31 March 2028?
- Scheduled UK duties return from 1 April 2028; where a tariff-rate quota applies, the in-quota duty is nil. Contracts running past that date should price both cases.
- What cold-chain records should buyers ask for?
- Temperature range and reefer set point per line, logger records for the whole journey, maximum transit time and minimum remaining shelf life on arrival.
- Does HatchMatch supply Ukrainian poultry or guarantee approval?
- No. HatchMatch is a buyer-side commercial coordinator: it reviews the brief, screens suppliers and compares offers. It does not import, export, certify or guarantee approval, price or supply.
More buyer questions are answered in our poultry procurement FAQ — also available in Español, Français, Português, Deutsch, العربية, Русский, Türkçe, Tiếng Việt.
From this article to a procurement-ready RFQ
HatchMatch Group is an independent sourcing desk — not a manufacturer or EPC contractor. These are the four steps we actually use with commercial poultry and hatchery buyers. If you are still deciding scope, start with what commercial poultry equipment includes and how suppliers are compared.
- 1. Plan the projectCapacity, climate and house layout in one guided workflowOpen
- 2. Build the RFQScope, specifications and comparable line itemsOpen
- 3. Submit the requestReviewed manually before HatchMatch contacts any supplier on the buyer's behalfOpen
- 4. Track and compareFollow status and normalise supplier responsesOpen
Prefer the numbers first? Start with the poultry project cost calculator or browse the project planning guides.
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