Since the introduction of new legislation in December 2019, the terminology used in scientific licensing, now scientific authorisations, has changed. Below are some definitions of terms used throughout this document and scientific authorisation work. In most cases the definitions can be found in the Plant Health Regulation (PHR).
Plants means living plants and the following living parts of plants: seeds (in the botanical sense, other than those not intended for planting), fruits (in the botanical sense), vegetables, tubers, corms, bulbs, rhizomes, roots, rootstocks, stolons, shoots, stems, runners, cut flowers, branches with or without foliage, plant tissue cultures, live pollen and spores, buds, budwood, cuttings, scions and grafts.
Plant products means unmanufactured material of plant origin and those manufactured products that, by their nature or that of their processing, may create a risk of the spread of quarantine pests.
Other objects means any material or object, other than plants or plant products, capable of harbouring or spreading pests (e.g. soil or growing medium).
Plant pest means any species, strain or biotype of pathogenic agents, animals or parasitic plants injurious to plants or plant products.
Scientific authorisations provide a derogation from the legislation to allow the import, movement, holding and multiplication of certain material.
Specified material means any plant, plant product or other object which is required to be held under a scientific authorisation.
Specified pest(s) means any plant pest which is required to be held under a scientific authorisation if imported for certain purposes (i.e. a quarantine pest, PFA quarantine pest, provisional quarantine pest or a potential quarantine pest).
Quarantine station means any official station for holding pests, plants, plant products or other objects in quarantine.
Confinement facility means any facility, other than quarantine stations, where pests, plants, plant products or other objects are kept under confinement conditions.
Treatment means a procedure, whether official or non-official, for the killing, inactivation or removal of plant pests, or for rendering those pests infertile, or for the devitalisation of plants or plant products.
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