The GB Plant Health Service have introduced legislation that will come into force from 30 November 2025.

Changes to enhance our biosecurity include:

• Reclassifying Agrilus horni (known as the aspen root girdler) and the fungal pathogen Heterobasidion occidentale as quarantine pests. 
• Reclassifying Toumeyella parvicornis (the pine tortoise scale) as a quarantine pest with specific import requirements.
• Adding the pest Homona magnanima (oriental tea tortrix) to the provisional quarantine pest list.  
• Expanding the import requirements for Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (the pinewood nematode) to reflect its expanded geographical range. 
• Clarifying the requirements for seed of Solanum sisymbriifolium, a host of potato spindle tuber viroid. 

We have also introduced several trade-facilitating changes. These include:

• Deregulating Helicoverpa armigera (known as the cotton bollworm) and withdrawing its specific import requirements.
• Deregulating bark beetles, Dendroctonus micans (Great spruce bark beetle) and Ips cembrae (Large larch bark beetle), currently regulated as Pest Free Area quarantine pests.
• Carrying out a technical update to a pest name (from Ennomos subsignarius to Ennomos subsignaria) in the legislation.

Finally, the Plant Health Service will clarify an import requirement for the medium-risk host plants of Xylella fastidiosa (Xylella). This single measure will come into force from 6 May 2026.

For more information, please refer to the attached Q&A. If you have any comments or questions, please email planthealth@defra.gov.uk.