Attach UK Plant Passports in EU
The allowance to attach labels with UK plant passport information in an EU member state has been extended until 30 June 2025. This applies under certain circumstances as detailed below.
UK plant passports can be attached in an EU member state, under certain circumstances (see below), until 30 June 2025. The passport must comply with UK regulations and will have no legal status if the steps detailed below are not completed at the first place of destination in GB.
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The allowance to attach UK PPs in an EU member state will be extended, with some changes (see below), for a further 24 months and will now end on 30th June 2025.
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The extension only applies to plants that are intended for final users[1].
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This extends only to the act of ‘attaching’ a UKPP. EU operators will not be authorised to ‘issue’ UKPPs. This means that it will be the GB operator who is responsible for the first place of destination of the relevant consignment who will need to be authorised to issue those plant passports and would be responsible for record keeping. The GB operator would also be audited under the plant passport regime. It is the GB operator’s registration number that will go in Part B of the UKPP.
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The plants would travel to GB under a phytosanitary certificate and are subject to official inspections as needed at BCPs/CPs.
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Upon arrival at first place of destination, the plants should be examined and recorded by the authorised business.
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UKPPs attached in EU MS will be considered as ‘draft’ and will have no legal status until the plants have passed this examination by the GB authorised business and recorded by the businesses. Only then, the UKPP can be ‘issued’ and the ‘draft’ status removed.
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Should the plants fail this examination, the draft PP must be removed. The issue should then be corrected to ensure compliance with PP requirements (and a new PP issued) or the plants must be destroyed. If a Quarantine Pest is found, the plants should be held and a Plant Health Inspector should be immediately notified.
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A record of the examination should be kept and plant health inspectors will audit this during annual visits.
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No change is needed to the format of the UKPP. You will not be required to make changes directly to the UKPP to mark it as ‘draft’ or ‘issued’. The UKPPs, attached in an EU member state, should be in the UK standard format (outlined in Section 1 and Annex I of the factsheet) and should be attached correctly. Guidance on attachment is available on GOV.uk and our Plant Health Portal.
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Non-compliances will be the responsibility of the GB operator and may prevent plants from being able to move on from the premises.
Further information on plant passporting can be found on the UK Plant Health Portal.