diff --git a/application/frontend/src/pages/MyOpenCRE/MyOpenCRE.scss b/application/frontend/src/pages/MyOpenCRE/MyOpenCRE.scss
index ad0ed9258..072c10e8c 100644
--- a/application/frontend/src/pages/MyOpenCRE/MyOpenCRE.scss
+++ b/application/frontend/src/pages/MyOpenCRE/MyOpenCRE.scss
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+.myopencre-container {
+  margin-top: 3rem;
+}
+
 .myopencre-section {
   margin-top: 2rem;
 }
@@ -8,4 +12,4 @@
 
 .myopencre-disabled {
   opacity: 0.7;
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/application/frontend/src/pages/MyOpenCRE/MyOpenCRE.tsx b/application/frontend/src/pages/MyOpenCRE/MyOpenCRE.tsx
index 0523ad028..10da0ac98 100644
--- a/application/frontend/src/pages/MyOpenCRE/MyOpenCRE.tsx
+++ b/application/frontend/src/pages/MyOpenCRE/MyOpenCRE.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,20 @@ import { Button, Container, Form, Header, Message } from 'semantic-ui-react';
 
 import { useEnvironment } from '../../hooks';
 
+type RowValidationError = {
+  row: number;
+  code: string;
+  message: string;
+  column?: string;
+};
+
+type ImportErrorResponse = {
+  success: false;
+  type: string;
+  message?: string;
+  errors?: RowValidationError[];
+};
+
 export const MyOpenCRE = () => {
   const { apiUrl } = useEnvironment();
 
@@ -13,8 +27,9 @@ export const MyOpenCRE = () => {
 
   const [selectedFile, setSelectedFile] = useState<File | null>(null);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
-  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [error, setError] = useState<ImportErrorResponse | null>(null);
   const [success, setSuccess] = useState<any | null>(null);
+  const [info, setInfo] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
   /* ------------------ CSV DOWNLOAD ------------------ */
 
@@ -54,13 +69,18 @@ export const MyOpenCRE = () => {
   const onFileChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     setError(null);
     setSuccess(null);
+    setInfo(null);
 
     if (!e.target.files || e.target.files.length === 0) return;
 
     const file = e.target.files[0];
 
     if (!file.name.toLowerCase().endsWith('.csv')) {
-      setError('Please upload a valid CSV file.');
+      setError({
+        success: false,
+        type: 'FILE_ERROR',
+        message: 'Please upload a valid CSV file.',
+      });
       e.target.value = '';
       setSelectedFile(null);
       return;
@@ -77,6 +97,7 @@ export const MyOpenCRE = () => {
     setLoading(true);
     setError(null);
     setSuccess(null);
+    setInfo(null);
 
     const formData = new FormData();
     formData.append('cre_csv', selectedFile);
@@ -93,25 +114,59 @@ export const MyOpenCRE = () => {
         );
       }
 
+      const payload = await response.json();
+
       if (!response.ok) {
-        const text = await response.text();
-        throw new Error(text || 'CSV import failed');
+        setError(payload);
+        return;
       }
 
-      const result = await response.json();
-      setSuccess(result);
+      if (payload.import_type === 'noop') {
+        setInfo(
+          'Import completed successfully, but no new CREs or standards were added because all mappings already exist.'
+        );
+      } else {
+        setSuccess(payload);
+      }
       setSelectedFile(null);
     } catch (err: any) {
-      setError(err.message || 'Unexpected error during import');
+      setError({
+        success: false,
+        type: 'CLIENT_ERROR',
+        message: err.message || 'Unexpected error during import',
+      });
     } finally {
       setLoading(false);
     }
   };
 
+  /* ------------------ ERROR RENDERING ------------------ */
+
+  const renderErrorMessage = () => {
+    if (!error) return null;
+
+    if (error.errors && error.errors.length > 0) {
+      return (
+        <Message negative>
+          <strong>Import failed due to validation errors</strong>
+          <ul>
+            {error.errors.map((e, idx) => (
+              <li key={idx}>
+                <strong>Row {e.row}:</strong> {e.message}
+              </li>
+            ))}
+          </ul>
+        </Message>
+      );
+    }
+
+    return <Message negative>{error.message || 'Import failed'}</Message>;
+  };
+
   /* ------------------ UI ------------------ */
 
   return (
-    <Container style={{ marginTop: '3rem' }}>
+    <Container className="myopencre-container">
       <Header as="h1">MyOpenCRE</Header>
 
       <p>
@@ -120,7 +175,7 @@ export const MyOpenCRE = () => {
       </p>
 
       <p>
-        Start by downloading the CRE catalogue below, then map your standard’s controls or sections to CRE IDs
+        Start by downloading the CRE catalogue below, then map your standard's controls or sections to CRE IDs
         in the spreadsheet.
       </p>
 
@@ -143,7 +198,8 @@ export const MyOpenCRE = () => {
           </Message>
         )}
 
-        {error && <Message negative>{error}</Message>}
+        {renderErrorMessage()}
+        {info && <Message info>{info}</Message>}
 
         {success && (
           <Message positive>
diff --git a/application/utils/spreadsheet_parsers.py b/application/utils/spreadsheet_parsers.py
index ffe72a64b..4c5397156 100644
--- a/application/utils/spreadsheet_parsers.py
+++ b/application/utils/spreadsheet_parsers.py
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ def validate_import_csv_rows(rows: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]
 
     headers = list(rows[0].keys())
 
-    if not headers:
-        raise ValueError("CSV header row is missing")
+    if not headers or len(headers) < 2:
+        raise ValueError("Invalid CSV format or missing header row")
 
     if not any(h.startswith("CRE") for h in headers):
         raise ValueError("At least one CRE column is required")
diff --git a/application/web/web_main.py b/application/web/web_main.py
index 6738a0109..3837792d9 100644
--- a/application/web/web_main.py
+++ b/application/web/web_main.py
@@ -948,11 +948,16 @@ def import_from_cre_csv() -> Any:
             calculate_gap_analysis=calculate_gap_analysis,
         )
 
+    import_type = "created"
+    if not new_cres and not standards:
+        import_type = "noop"
+
     return jsonify(
         {
             "status": "success",
             "new_cres": [c.external_id for c in new_cres],
             "new_standards": len(standards),
+            "import_type": import_type,
         }
     )