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

From 1 January 2021

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

List of High-Priority Plants since 1 January 2021
Category	Legal requirement	Common name(s)
Machinery and vehicles	Machinery and vehicles which have been operated for agricultural or forestry purposes	Agricultural machinery and vehicles
Plants for planting	Plants for planting, other than seeds	All plants for planting
Potatoes	Tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. intended for planting	Seed potatoes
Potatoes	Tubers of Solanum tuberosum L.	Ware potatoes
Seed intended for sowing	Seeds of Castanea	Chestnut seed
Seed intended for sowing	Seeds of Capsicum spp. L., Solanum lycopersicum L.,	Chilli and tomato seed
Seed intended for sowing	Seeds of Solanum tuberosum L.	Potato seed
Seed intended for sowing	Seed of Helianthus annuus L., Medicago sativa L., Allium cepa L., Allium porrum L., Phaseolus cocineus., Phaseolus vulgaris L.	Sunflower seed; Alfalfa seed; Onion seed, Leek seed; Runner bean seed; French bean seed
Seed intended for sowing	Vegetable seeds of Pisum sativum L. and Vicia faba L.	Green pea seed; broad bean seed
Seed intended for sowing	Seeds of oil and fibre plants of Brassica napus L. Brassica rapa L., Sinapis alba L.	Rapeseed; White mustard seed
Seed intended for sowing	Seeds of oil and fibre plants of Glycine max (L.) Merrill and Linum usitatissimum L.	Soybean seed; flax seed or linseed
Plant parts	Cut trees/branches of Conifers (Pinales) over 3m	Conifer cut trees/branches
Bark	Isolated bark of Castanea	Chestnut bark
Bark	Isolated bark of Conifers (Pinales)	Conifer bark
Bark	Isolated bark of Fraxinus L., Juglans ailantifolia Carr., Juglans mandshurica Maxim., Ulmus davidiana Planch. and Pterocarya rhoifolia	Bark of ash, Japanese and Manchurian walnut, David elm and Japanese wingnut.
Wood	Wood of Platanus L., including wood which has not kept its natural round surface	Plane wood
Wood	Wood of Castanea Mill., excluding wood which is bark-free	Chestnut wood, aside from bark free chestnut wood
Wood	Wood of Conifers (Pinales), excluding wood which is bark-free	Conifer wood, aside from bark free conifer wood
Wood	Wood of Conifers (Pinales), including wood which has not kept its natural round surface	Conifer wood
Wood	Wood of Prunus L. including wood which has not kept its natural round surface with the exception of Prunus laurocerasus L.	Wood of Plum, Peach, Nectarine, Apricot etc. Does not include wood of English laurel
Wood	Wood of Acer L., Aesculus L., Alnus L., Betula L., Carpinus L., Cercidiphyllum Siebold & Zucc., Corylus L., Fagus L., Fraxinus L., Koelreuteria Medikus., Platanus L., Populus L., Salix L., Tilia L. and Ulmus L., including wood which has not kept its natural round surface	Wood of Maple; Horse Chestnut; Alder; Birch; Hornbeam; Katsura; Hazel; Beech; Ash; Golden-rain; Plane; Poplar; Willow; Lime; Elm
Wood	Wood of Fraxinus L., Juglans ailantifolia Carr., Juglans mandshurica Maxim., Ulmus davidiana Planch. and Pterocarya rhoifolia	Wood of ash, Japanese and Manchurian walnut, David elm and Japanese wingnut.