Defra, UK - Farming - Retail and trade

Farming

Plant imports

This page provides guidance on importing plants, plant material, products and seeds and is split into the following sections:

imports from European Union countries
imports from outside the European Union
personal imports

Imports from European Union (EU) countries

Within the EU health checks on some plants and plant products are focused on the place of production and while there are no border checks when traveling between Member States, spot checks may take place anywhere in the trade chain.

Other plants and plant material which host the most serious 'quarantine' pests and diseases will require a plant passport before they can be moved. Plant passports are required for moving between Member States and also within a Member State.

See Defra’s Plant Passporting and Marketing Requirements for details of the main plant passporting requirements and for the plant material that they cover.

There are additional requirements if you are importing specified plants into “Protected Zones” - areas free of plant pests which are found elsewhere in the EU. Plant passports to Protected Zones are called ZP passports. You should contact your local Plant Health and Seeds Inspector (PHSI) for further details on obtaining ZP passports.

Importers may need to be authorised to issue plant passports if they subsequently move imported material elsewhere in the EU. Details are included in the Plant Health Guide to Plant Passporting and Marketing Requirements.

Authorisation is based on annual inspection, for which you are charged. See Defra’s Plant passport forms and contact your local PHSI.

Potatoes
Seed potatoes require plant passporting at every stage of the EU trade chain under the Seed Potato Classification Scheme or an equivalent official certification scheme in another member state.

Ware potatoes do not need plant passports, but are subject to a “trace back” scheme to trace any health problems back to source. The plant health registration number of the grower or packer must be clearly printed on all bags containing potatoes or, for loose potatoes loaded in bulk, on the delivery note. Within Great Britain the following requirements apply:

For growers/packers registered with the British Potato Council the plant health registration number is their BPC registration number
For growers/packers not registered with the BPC then it must be the registration number allocated by PHSI to each firm

Seeds
You can import seeds which meet variety listing requirements and are officially certified by another EU country.

Seeds which have met all requirements, except listing, may be imported, pending listing.

See A Guide to Seed Imports form Member States and Third Countries for further details on seed imports.

Imports from countries outside the EU

Banned imports
Some plants and plant produce are prohibited from entering this country from non-EC countries.

For details of which plants and plant produce are prohibited see Appendix 1 of The Plant Health Guide for Importers. If you are seeking to import plant pests you should refer to The Plant Health (England) Order 2005, schedules 1 and 2.

You may be able to import some prohibited material or plant pests for trial, scientific or selection purposes under specific licence from Defra. There is a fee, and you should apply at least a month before you plan to import. See Defra’s Explanatory Leaflet on Issuing Import Licences and application forms.

Some prohibited material may be imported under a “derogation” of EU rules under licence. Details of these can be seen on the derogation list.

Permitted imports: Phytosanitary certificates
In general, all plants and some plant produce and products from countries outside EU that can be imported into the UK must have a phytosanitary – plant health – certificate. This is issued by the exporting country’s plant health authority.

To import plants requiring phytosanitary certificates, you must apply to be registered by Defra Plant Health Division. See Registration of Importers of Plant Health Controlled Material.

There are designated ports for such imports and plants or plant material imported under phytosanitary certificates are inspected by the PHSI. There is a charge for this inspection.

You must provide advance notice of imports’ arrival; four working hours if the consignment is arriving by air, or three working days if imported through any other route.

The plant health inspection takes place before Customs clearance.

Seeds
You can import seeds officially certified or for final certification from countries recognised by the EU as having controls equivalent to EU controls.

See A Guide to Seed Imports form Member States and Third Countries for details.

Personal imports

See Defra’s Travellers’ concessions, Defra’spersonal imports database or contact the PHSI for guidance and advice on personal imports of plants and plant material.

Other information

When premises are first to be used in activities involving genetically modified organisms in containment – such as storing - the Health and Safety Executive must be notified.

See the UK CITES website for restrictions on imports of endangered species.

The Forestry Commission regulates the import of forest trees.