High-Priority Plants Rules

Plant health controls on plants and plant products imported from the EU, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, have been introduced in stages from 1 January 2021.

Since 1 January 2021, only high-priority plants and plant products have required pre-notification and a phytosanitary certificate (PC) when being imported from the EU, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.

The Government has announced that the remaining import controls on EU goods, including plants and plant products, will no longer be introduced in July of this year. Instead, traders will continue to move their goods from the EU to GB as they do now. This decision does not affect existing controls that were introduced in January 2021 and January 2022. Further information on this can be found here.

This guidance provides information on which plants, plant products and other regulated objects from the EU (excluding Ireland), Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, which will require a PC and pre-notification for import to GB in 2021 and 2022. 

High-priority plants and plant products from the EU must have: 

a phytosanitary certificate (PC) 
a pre-notification submitted by the importer in England, Scotland or Wales for documentary and identity checks

a physical inspection at a Place of Destination (PoD).

Which IT System?

If you are currently using PEACH to pre-notify imports of plants and plant products, you should continue using that system from 1 Jan 2022. You will be directed to transfer from PEACH to the IPAFFS service during 2022.

If you are new to making pre-notifications and not currently registered on PEACH, you should register for and use IPAFFS to complete your pre-notifications of ‘regulated and notifiable’ goods from 1 Jan 2022.

Traders who are currently using IPAFFS as part of our early adopter phase will continue to use IPAFFS for existing goods in scope plus those requiring pre-notification from 1 Jan 2022.

From 23 December 2021, IPAFFS will accept notifications of EU goods newly requiring pre-notification from 1 Jan 2022.

Whether notifying through PEACH or IPAFFS, the notification journey is the same as that which applies now to imports of regulated plants and plant products from non-EU countries and high-priority plants from the EU. There is no simplified notification route as there is temporarily for animal products.

More information can be found on the IT Systems page.

How will non-EU goods that pass through the EU be treated when imported to GB?

Plants and plant products from non-EU countries, which enter into customs ‘free circulation’ in the EU before travelling on to GB, will be treated by GB as if they are an EU import for plant health purposes.

Plants and plant products imported from non-EU countries to GB via the EU (or any other third country) under transit arrangements such as the Common Transit Convention (CTC), will be treated as if they are direct imports from the third country of origin, and will require a phytosanitary certificate and pre-notification as necessary.

The origin of the goods declared on PEACH or IPAFFS should follow the same logic.

High-Priority Plants List

Since 1 January 2021

High Priority goods all require pre-notification and to be accompanied by a PC:


Group	Legislative Term	Country of origin
Plants for planting	Plants for planting, other than seeds	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Tubers	Tubers of Solanum tuberosum intended for planting (Seed potatoes)	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Tubers	Tubers of Solanum tuberosum (ware potatoes)	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Seeds	Seeds of Castanea	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Capsicum spp.	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Solanum lycopersicum	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Solanum tuberosum (true potato seed)	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Helianthus annuus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Medicago sativa	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Allium cepa	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Allium porrum	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Phaseolus cocineus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Pisum sativum	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Vicia faba	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Brassica napus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Brassica rapa	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Sinapis alba	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Glycine max	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Seeds of Linum usitatissimum	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Branches, foliage or cut trees	Cut trees/branches of Conifers (Pinales) over 3m	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Bark	Isolated bark of Castanea	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Isolated bark of Conifers (Pinales)	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Isolated bark of Fraxinus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Isolated bark of Juglans mandshurica	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Isolated bark of Juglans ailantifolia	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Isolated bark of Ulmus davidiana	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Isolated bark of Pterocarya	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Wood (including wood which has not kept it’s natural round surface)	Wood of Acer	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Aesculus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Alnus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Betula	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Carpinus	EU Member States (excluding Spain and Portugal), Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Conifers (Pinales) excluding wood which is bark free	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Conifers	Spain and Portugal
	Wood of Cercidiphyllum	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Corylus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Fagus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Fraxinus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Koelreuteria	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Conifers (Pinales)	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Platanus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Populus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Prunus with the exception of Prunus laurocerasus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Salix	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Tilia	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
	Wood of Ulmus	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Wood of	Wood of Juglans	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Wood of	Wood of Pterocarya	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Wood (excluding wood which is bark-free)	Wood of Castanea excluding wood which is bark-free	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Used Machinery	Machinery and vehicles which have been operated for agricultural or forestry purposes	EU Member States, Liechtenstein and Switzerland