APHA have launched their new online licensing platform, designed to improve the licence application process for movements of poultry or poultry products within Avian Influenza Disease Control Zones.
Please read more from us on Avian influenza: movement licensing guidance.
Register online
If you are in England, Scotland or Wales, you will need to register online via the government's Avian influenza licensing page and create sign in details.
There will be two steps for verification to do this. Once registered for the new system, you can apply online and track the status of your application and once approved you can receive your licence electronically.
Interactive process
Until now, the application process involved filling in an EXD100 license request form and emailing it to the APHA licensing team. However, this new online licensing portal has created a more interactive process, allowing applications to be submitted and tracked online via the portal.
The system allows APHA to process applications more efficiently as well as allowing applicants to track the progress of their application. The platform has seen almost 200 applications submitted in its first week.
Reviewed and issued
Dr Lara Harrup from Defra’s Exotic Disease Policy Response Team (EDPRT) Outbreak Communications Cell said: "Applications will be received via the online system and will be reviewed, and if appropriate, licences issued to allow essential activities to continue whilst not increasing the risk of spread of avian influenza.
"You can also use this service to check the status of your application, add further information in support of your application and/or download issued licences."
A high number of cases
The 2021/22 Avian Influenza outbreak is the worst the UK has experienced to date, with current case rates already more than three times higher than last winter.
With the unprecedented number of poultry premises being affected by the movement restrictions imposed within the Disease Control Zones comes an increased demand for the individual movement licences required to permit certain movements of poultry and poultry products within these zones.
Case-by-case
The APHA deal with movement licence applications on a case-by-case basis; during the 2020/21 season they received a total of 1682 license applications.
To date, during the current season, there have been 3461 individual movement license applications submitted to the APHA.