Operating under the Transport Regulated Control Scheme (RCS)
Find out the requirements for operating under the RCS, including documenting your procedures using the RCS template, verification and registration.
Transport RCS legislation
The legal requirements you meet when you operate under the transport RCS are set out in the following Notices and their amendments. The RCS applies only if you transport animal product or material that is intended for export using an official assurance (export certificate).
Animal Products (Transport of Export Animal Products and Handling at Point of Export) Notice 2009
Choosing between the RCS and an RMP
The Transport RCS is an alternative to an RMP. If you are a transport service operator you can elect to operate under either. There is no requirement to operate under the Transport RCS but if you don’t, then you must operate under a registered RMP for transporting.
Documenting your Transport RCS
To comply with the Transport RCS requirements you need to develop and operate under a documented system. You can develop your system by using one of the following:
- the Transport RCS template
- your current documented procedures and amending them where necessary to comply with the legal requirements of the Transport RCS.
For most operators, using the Transport RCS template is the easier option.
Once your procedures – such as how you handle the product, cleaning and maintenance – are documented, you need to implement and follow them. This includes keeping relevant records.
Using the Transport RCS template
MPI has developed a template which provides a simple way for you to document your system in order to meet the requirements of the RCS. The template applies to:
- transport service operators
- vehicle docking facility operators.
If you comply with the requirements and procedures in the template, you have met the requirements of the Transport RCS. You can download the template from the link below. It is accompanied by guidance to assist you with completing it.
RCS Template – Transport of Animal Material and Product
Getting your RCS verified
Before your documented system can be registered with MPI as a Transport RCS, it needs to be checked by a recognised verifier.
The verification requirements are outlined in the Animal Products (Regulated Control Scheme – Transport of Animal Products and Animal Material for Export with an Official Assurance) Notice 2009, which is linked at the top of the page.
You can find out more about agencies and individuals recognised for this work in the General requirements section of the site.
Labs & recognised agencies/persons
Verification – how often it happens
After the initial verification, your verifier checks your RCS from time to time to ensure you are complying with the legal requirements and following the procedures in your documented system.
Verification is performance based. Therefore, if the outcome of your audit is unacceptable, then the frequency of the audits is likely to increase. Most operators who have a vehicle docking facility, either within their transport service operation or as a stand-alone operation, are, for a start, verified every 6 months.
The following operators are initially verified annually:
- operators who only handle bee products
- transport service operators.
Fees and charges for verification
You pay for verification audits. The overall cost depends on the complexity and size of your operation.
Charges include the verifier’s time relating to the verification. This includes time for preparation, the on-site visit, travel costs and writing up the result of the verification.
You can find out more about fees and charges and how they are set in the Policy & law section of the site.
Registering as a Transport RCS operator
Once your RCS has had its initial verification, you need to apply to MPI to register as a Transport RCS operator. You can do this using Form AP16.
AP16 – Registration of a Transport Service Operator/Vehicle Docking Dacility Operator
Operators who are automatically registered
When the Transport RCS was introduced in 2009, some transport operators who already met the requirements were automatically registered. Among these were transport operators who did not have an RMP for transport operations, but were listed under one of the following:
- OMAR 00/094 Road and Rail Transport of Export Meat, Game and Game Meat Products to and from Licensed or Approved Premises
- OMAR 02/107 Road and Rail Transport of Fish Products Intended for Human Consumption and for which Official Assurances are required.
List of registered transport RCS operators
MPI maintains a list of all transport operators registered under the RCS. You can see the full list or search for operators by clicking on the following link.
