We would like to notify you on behalf of the Secretary of State and Scottish and Welsh Ministers, of the upcoming changes to The Plant Health etc. (Fees) (England) Regulations 2018, The Plant Health etc. (Fees) (Wales) Regulations 2018, The Plant (Import Inspection Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 and The Plant Health and The Official Controls (Plant Health) (Frequency of Checks) Regulations 2022, which are intended to take effect when the new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU is implemented.

Further details can be found in this letter relating to proposed changes to checks and fees relating to the import of plants, plant products and other objects (also provided in Welsh).

Comments on the proposed changes should be sent to plantpestsrisks@defra.gov.uk by 25 September 2026.

UPDATE 

We are pleased to confirm that the deadline for comments has been extended to 16 October 2026. Please continue to send any comments on the proposed changes to plantpestsrisks@defra.gov.uk.

We are providing additional data to support the ongoing engagement on fees. This follows requests from stakeholders for information on volumes of consignments.

Explanation: the tables below provide total numbers of consignments from the previous two financial years (April-March) which have been subject to a fee. The data only includes consignments which have been declared to APHA. Consignments are defined by category of goods, for example, a single fruit consignment can include different types of fruit (and would be subject to one fee for inspection of fruit and vegetables) however a consignment which comprises both fruit and plants for planting would count as two consignments (as it would be subject to two fees; one for fruit and vegetables and one for plants for planting).

The figures below will differ from data published here (Plant Health: International trade and controlled consignments - GOV.UK). This is because the data at the link counts the number of consignments as the number of inspection units (i.e. any commodity with a unique inspection frequency is counted as a consignment). Fees are not applied at the level of inspection units as explained above. 

*these consignments of F&V have been declared in error and no fees have been charged. The current easement means that no F&V consignments, from the EU, need to be declared to APHA