High-Priority Plants Rules
Plant health controls on plants and plant products imported from the EU, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, have been introduced in stages from 1 January 2021.
Since 1 January 2021, only high-priority plants and plant products have required pre-notification and a phytosanitary certificate (PC) when being imported from the EU, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.
The Government has announced that the remaining import controls on EU goods, including plants and plant products, will no longer be introduced in July of this year. Instead, traders will continue to move their goods from the EU to GB as they do now. This decision does not affect existing controls that were introduced in January 2021 and January 2022. Further information on this can be found here.
This guidance provides information on which plants, plant products and other regulated objects from the EU (excluding Ireland), Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, which will require a PC and pre-notification for import to GB in 2021 and 2022.
High-priority plants and plant products from the EU must have:
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a phytosanitary certificate (PC)
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a pre-notification submitted by the importer in England, Scotland or Wales for documentary and identity checks
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a physical inspection at a Place of Destination (PoD).
Which IT System?
- If you are currently using PEACH to pre-notify imports of plants and plant products, you should continue using that system from 1 Jan 2022. You will be directed to transfer from PEACH to the IPAFFS service during 2022.
- If you are new to making pre-notifications and not currently registered on PEACH, you should register for and use IPAFFS to complete your pre-notifications of ‘regulated and notifiable’ goods from 1 Jan 2022.
- Traders who are currently using IPAFFS as part of our early adopter phase will continue to use IPAFFS for existing goods in scope plus those requiring pre-notification from 1 Jan 2022.
- From 23 December 2021, IPAFFS will accept notifications of EU goods newly requiring pre-notification from 1 Jan 2022.
- Whether notifying through PEACH or IPAFFS, the notification journey is the same as that which applies now to imports of regulated plants and plant products from non-EU countries and high-priority plants from the EU. There is no simplified notification route as there is temporarily for animal products.
- More information can be found on the IT Systems page.
How will non-EU goods that pass through the EU be treated when imported to GB?
- Plants and plant products from non-EU countries, which enter into customs ‘free circulation’ in the EU before travelling on to GB, will be treated by GB as if they are an EU import for plant health purposes.
- Plants and plant products imported from non-EU countries to GB via the EU (or any other third country) under transit arrangements such as the Common Transit Convention (CTC), will be treated as if they are direct imports from the third country of origin, and will require a phytosanitary certificate and pre-notification as necessary.
- The origin of the goods declared on PEACH or IPAFFS should follow the same logic.
High-Priority Plants List
Since 1 January 2021
High Priority goods all require pre-notification and to be accompanied by a PC:
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Group |
Legislative Term |
Country of origin |
Plants for planting |
Plants for planting, other than seeds |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
Tubers |
Tubers of Solanum tuberosum intended for planting (Seed potatoes) |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
Tubers of Solanum tuberosum (ware potatoes) |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds |
Seeds of Castanea |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
Seeds of Capsicum spp. |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Solanum lycopersicum |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Solanum tuberosum (true potato seed) |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Helianthus annuus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Medicago sativa |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Allium cepa |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Allium porrum |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Phaseolus cocineus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Pisum sativum |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Vicia faba |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Brassica napus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Brassica rapa |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Sinapis alba |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Glycine max |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Seeds of Linum usitatissimum |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Branches, foliage or cut trees |
Cut trees/branches of Conifers (Pinales) over 3m |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
Bark |
Isolated bark of Castanea |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
Isolated bark of Conifers (Pinales) |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Isolated bark of Fraxinus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Isolated bark of Juglans mandshurica |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Isolated bark of Juglans ailantifolia |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Isolated bark of Ulmus davidiana |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Isolated bark of Pterocarya |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood (including wood which has not kept it’s natural round surface) |
Wood of Acer |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Aesculus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
Wood of Alnus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Betula |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Carpinus |
EU Member States (excluding Spain and Portugal), Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Conifers (Pinales) excluding wood which is bark free |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Conifers |
Spain and Portugal |
|
Wood of Cercidiphyllum |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Corylus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Fagus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Fraxinus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Koelreuteria |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Conifers (Pinales) |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Platanus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Populus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Prunus with the exception of Prunus laurocerasus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Salix |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Tilia |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of Ulmus |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood of |
Wood of Juglans |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
Wood of Pterocarya |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
|
Wood (excluding wood which is bark-free) |
Wood of Castanea excluding wood which is bark-free |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
Used Machinery |
Machinery and vehicles which have been operated for agricultural or forestry purposes |
EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |