Imports Threats Hierarchy
The Import Threats Hierarchy provides high level information on threats associated with particular commodity groups, based on information including, but not limited to, the UK Plant Health Risk Register.
The hierarchy does not replace BTOM categorisations, but complements this and other available information, to provide a high level overview of import threats. The hierarchy will be kept under review in light of developments and updated as appropriate.
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Highest risk commodities |
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Lowest risk commodities |
NOTE: Where prohibitions apply these are retained.
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Plants |
Priority |
Reason for size/type restriction |
Specific risk |
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Plants, other than fruit and seeds, of
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EAB hosts. High priority due to spread to St Petersburg and into Ukraine, high risk of introduction into the EU. |
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Wood, isolated bark and objects made of bark of:
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EAB hosts. High priority due to spread to St Petersburg and into Ukraine, high risk of introduction into the EU. |
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Seed potatoes |
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High number of GB priority pests potentially associated with seed potatoes:
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Highest risk Xylella hosts:
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Highest risk hosts of Xylella, associated with high number of outbreak in Europe and/or infected plants known to have been moving in trade in Europe. |
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Plants imported under the Bonsai derogation |
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Plants only imported under a derogation from the prohibition on conifer plants from non-European countries and are subject to a high level of post import controls. |
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Trees more than 1cm diameter at their thickest point, for planting:
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1cm diameter is related to the risk of Anoplophora spp. also works for Aromia bungi. May not be suitable for Agrilus anxius but Betula is prohibited as a high-risk plant from all third countries except from the EU (A. anxius is only present in N. America). Ceratocystis platani plants are not the main pathway, so the risk associated with small trees will be low. OPM prefers larger trees and these are more difficult to inspect |
All hosts of more than one of the following priority pests:
Quercus included here as a host of OPM and a high-profile species. |
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Wood of:
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All hosts of more than one of the following priority pests:
Quercus included here as a host of OPM and high-profile species. |
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Conifers over 3m:
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Over 3m is associated with the risk of Ips sp. PPM generally prefers larger trees and these are more difficult to inspect than smaller ones. |
All hosts of more than one of the following priority pests:
Cedrus also included here as it is a host of PPM and a high profile species. |
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Wood of conifers (with bark attached) |
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Host of more than one of the following priority pests:
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Wood of conifers (without bark) |
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Host of the following priority pest:
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Machinery and vehicles which have been operated for agricultural or forestry purposes |
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Relatively high risk due to risk of Ceratocystis platani
Soil from outside the EU |
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Trees more than 1cm diameter at their thickest point, for planting:
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1cm diameter is related to the risk of Anoplophora spp.
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All hosts of one of the following priority pests:
Castanea don’t fit any of the categories above but warrants inclusion due to
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Wood of:
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All hosts of Anoplophora glabripennis except Castanea which is a host of Cryphonectria parasitica. |
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Palmae for planting diameter more than 5cm |
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The risk of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus and Paysandisia archon is associated with trees over 5cm, but grouped |
Palmae don’t fit any of the categories above but warrant inclusion due to
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Rosa spp. for planting |
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As a host of two priority pests roses could be higher up but according to the EPPO global database they are not a major host of Anoplophora chinensis and applying a higher level of risk to plants over 1cm does not mitigate against rose rosette virus |
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Other trees more than 1cm diameter with leaves (not dormant) and conifers less than 3m for planting of:
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Higher risk associated with plants with leaves than dormant ones also capturing the smaller conifers which are hosts of priority pests. |
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Plants for planting (not finished plants) of other Xylella hosts |
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Hosts of a priority pest |
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Seeds of the genera Triticum, Secale L. and x Triticosecale from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa and the USA |
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Important cereal crops, risk of Tilletia indica |
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Plants for planting (not finished plants) associated with high levels of interceptions:
(Nerium oleander included above as Xylella host)
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Bemisia tabaci host and continued high levels of interceptions on plants for planting from the EU. |
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Seeds of Solanum lycopersicum and Capsicum spp., intended for planting |
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Many interceptions of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus on imported seeds.
Viroids added as QPs in 2023
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All other woody* plants for planting more than 1cm diameter excluding indoor plants |
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Other plants for propagation |
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High risk of spread of pests and pathogens into GB production systems |
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Ware potatoes from Spain, Portugal, Poland, Romania and Egypt |
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Specific risk of priority pests from these origins:
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Fruits of Solanaceae from Australia, the Americas and New Zealand |
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Specific risk of a priority pest from these origins:
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Fruit of tomatoes |
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Specific risk of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus being present |
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Cut flower roses from Canada, India, Mexico and the USA |
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Specific risk of priority pests from these origins:
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Grain of the genera Triticum, Secale and x Triticosecale from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa and the USA |
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Important cereal crops, risk of Tilletia indica |
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Other specifically regulated wood and bark |
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Other plants for planting (not for final user) |
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On production sites, risk of contamination. |
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Other specifically regulated seed (not for final user) |
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Hosts of GB quarantine pests. |
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Plants intended for final users** and indoor plants*** |
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Seeds intended for final users** |
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Ware potatoes from countries other than Spain, Portugal, Poland, Romania and Egypt |
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Other fruit, vegetables and cut flowers. |
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Wood packaging material |
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*“Woody plants” means plants which have a woody or partly woody stem, and includes all trees, forest reproductive material (other than seed), shrubs and palms, and those vines and perennial herbs with woody or partly woody stems; and for this purpose “perennial herbs” means herbs for which the average life exceeds two years.
**“Intended for final users” means intended, by evidence from the packaging, labelling or by other means, for direct supply to final users.
*** “Indoor plants” means plants which appear from their packaging, labelling or by other means to be intended for direct supply to final users for indoor use or use in aquaria.