Frequency of Plant Health Import Inspections Across GB
Updated: 2nd September 2024
These frequencies apply to certain regulated goods imported into Great Britain. This GB focused risk-based import inspection regime aims to ensure that impacts from plant health checks are kept at a level appropriate to the degree of risk posed by different categories of commodities and that Great Britain’s phytosanitary regime remains appropriate to address the biosecurity risks which GB faces.
The frequencies are detailed in Table 1.
Table 1: Frequencies of Checks applicable for goods specified in Part A of Annex 11 of the retained Phytosanitary Conditions Regulation (EU) 2019/2072.
Category and description of plant, plant product or other object |
Country of origin |
Frequency of Physical and Identity check (%) |
Frequency of documentary check (%) |
Bulbs, corms, rhizomes, tubers (other than tubers of potatoes), onions, shallots, garlic, leeks and other alliaceous vegetables, dormant, not in substrate |
|||
All genera intended for planting, other than commercial flower production, and not intended for final users |
Any third country |
100 |
100 |
All genera intended for planting, and intended for commercial flower production, or for final users |
Any third country |
10 |
100 |
Cuttings, seedlings intended for planting, not specified or included anywhere else in this table |
|||
All genera |
Any third country |
100 |
100 |
Plants for planting |
|||
Woody plants(2) (other than specified or included elsewhere in this table), intended for planting and intended for final users(1). All genera |
Any third country |
100 |
100 |
Non-woody plants(3) (other than specified or included elsewhere in this table), intended for planting. All genera |
Any third country |
30 |
100 |
Tomato, cucumber, pepper and aubergine plants for commercial indoor production of edible crops |
EU Member states |
10 |
100 |
Indoor plants(4). All genera |
Any third country |
5 |
100 |
Other plants (other than specified or included elsewhere In this table), intended for planting. All genera |
Any third country |
100 |
100 |
Cut flowers |
|||
Carnation |
Columbia, Kenya |
5 |
100 |
|
Ecuador |
15 |
100 |
|
Turkey |
25 |
100 |
|
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Columbia, Kenya,Liechtenstein, Switzerland or Turkey |
100 |
100 |
Dendranthema (DC.) Des Moul. (Chrysanthemum L.) |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
100 |
100 |
|
Eryngium Tournier ex Linnaeus. |
Any third country other than an EU Member State , European third country, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
10 |
100 |
Gypsophila |
Ecuador |
5 |
100 |
Kenya |
10 |
100 |
|
Any third country other than an EU member state, Ecuador, Kenya, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
100 |
100 |
|
Lisianthus L. |
Any third country other than an EU member state, European third country, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
10 |
100 |
Rosa L. |
Colombia, Ecuador |
3 |
100 |
Ethiopia, Kenya |
25 |
100 |
|
Zambia |
50 |
100 |
|
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liechtenstein, Switzerland or Zambia |
100 |
100 |
|
Solidago L. |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
10 |
100 |
|
Other genera not specified or included elsewhere in this table |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Branches with foliage, parts of Conifers (other than bark or cut Christmas trees) |
|||
All genera |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Fruit, vegetables, leaves |
|||
Momordica L. |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
50 |
100 |
|
Ocimum L. |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
100 |
100 |
|
Solanaceae Juss. (other than Solanum tuberosum L. Solanum lycopersicum , Solanum melongena L. and Capsicum sp.) |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
50 |
100 |
|
Solanum lycopersicum |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Morocco |
5 |
100 |
|
Canary Islands |
25 |
100 |
|
Any third country other than the Canary Islands, an EU Member State, Liechtenstein, Morocco or Switzerland |
100 |
100 |
|
Solanum melongena L. |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Turkey |
30 |
100 |
|
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein, Switzerland or Turkey |
50 |
100 |
|
Capsicum |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
100 |
100 |
|
Zea mays |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
100 |
100 |
|
Ipomoea batatas |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than Cameroon, an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Cameroon |
100 |
100 |
|
Persea americana |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Vitis |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Malus |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
European third countries(5) |
15 |
100 |
|
Argentina |
35 |
100 |
|
Chile |
5 |
100 |
|
New Zealand |
10 |
100 |
|
South Africa |
15 |
100 |
|
Any third country other than Argentina, Chile, an EU Member State, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland or European Third countries(5) |
100 |
100 |
|
Pyrus |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Argentina |
25 |
100 |
|
Chile |
15 |
100 |
|
European third countries(5) |
50 |
100 |
|
South Africa |
10 |
100 |
|
Any third country other than Argentina, Chile, an EU Member State, European third countries, Liechtenstein, South Africa or Switzerland |
100 |
100 |
|
Fragaria |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Rubus |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Vaccinium |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
European third countries(5) |
50 |
100 |
|
Argentina |
50 |
100 |
|
Chile |
10 |
100 |
|
Peru |
5 |
100 |
|
Any third country other than Argentina, Chile, an EU Member State, Liechtenstein, Peru, Switzerland or European Third Countries(5) |
100 |
100 |
|
Zingiber officinale |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than Cameroon, an EU Member State, Liechtenstein, Peru or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Cameroon and Peru |
100 |
100 |
|
Asparagus officinalis |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
100 |
100 |
|
Other genera or species of fruit or vegetables not specified or included elsewhere in this table |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member S State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Other leaves not specified or included elsewhere in this table |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Seeds (for sowing), tissue cultures |
|||
All genera, for trials or testing |
Any third country |
10 |
100 |
Brassicaceae (other than for trials or testing) |
Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand or Uruguay |
100 |
100 |
Capsicum spp. L. (other than for trials or testing) |
Any third country |
100 |
100 |
Poaceae (other than for trials or testing) |
Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand or Uruguay |
100 |
100 |
Solanum lycopersicum L. (other than for trials or testing) |
Any third country |
100 |
100 |
Solanum tuberosum L. (True Seed) (other than for trials or testing) |
Any third country |
100 |
100 |
Trifolium spp. (other than for trials or testing) |
Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand or Uruguay |
100 |
100 |
Secale L. |
Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa or the USA |
100 |
100 |
Triticum L. |
Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa or the USA |
100 |
100 |
X Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus |
Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa or the USA |
100 |
100 |
Other genera or species not specified or included elsewhere in this table |
Any third country |
5 |
100 |
Grain (other than seeds for sowing) |
|||
Secale L. |
Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa or the USA |
100 |
100 |
Triticum L. |
Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa or the USA |
100 |
100 |
X Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus |
Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa or the USA |
100 |
100 |
Tubers of potatoes |
|||
Solanum tuberosum L. (seed potatoes) |
Any third country |
100 |
100 |
Solanum tuberosum L. (ware potatoes) |
Poland, Portugal or Romania |
50 |
100 |
Egypt or Spain |
100 |
100 |
|
Any third country other than Egypt, Poland, Portugal, Romania or Spain |
3 |
100 |
|
Cut Christmas trees (less than 3 metres in height) |
|||
All genera |
Any EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
3 |
3 |
Any third country other than an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland |
5 |
100 |
|
Machinery or vehicles which have been operated for agricultural or forestry purposes |
|||
Machinery or vehicles which have been operated for agricultural or forestry purposes |
Any third country |
5 |
100 |
Wood, wood products and isolated bark |
|||
All genera |
Any third country |
100 |
100 |
(1) “Intended for final users” means intended, by evidence from the packaging, labelling or by other means, for direct supply to final users.
(2)“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.
(3) “Non-woody plants” means plants which are not woody plants.
(4)“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.
(5) European Countries = includes Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canary Islands, the Faeroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Russia (only the following parts: Central Federal District (Tsentralnyfederalny okrug), Federal District (Severo-Zapadnyfederalny okrug), Southern Federal District (Yuzhnyfederalny okrug), North Caucasian Federal District (Severo-Kavkazskyfederalny okrug) and Volga Federal District (Privolzhskyfederalny okrug), San Marino, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine).