The following is an exact reproduction of the text from the Government ’s Technical bulletin give advice on what will happen in the consequence of a no - deal Brexit , published on 17 March 2025 , andreposted by the HTA .

Importing and export plant and plant products if there ’s no Brexit mountain

PurposeThis observance sets out how business and individuals that trade in plants and plant Cartesian product with countries within and outside the EU would be affect if the UK leave the EU in March 2019 with no hatful . ‘ works ’ imply a be works ( include a fungus or Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ) or a living part of a plant ( including a live part of a fungus or shrub ) , at any level of growth ; ‘ flora product ’ entail products of plant life origin , unprocessed or deliver undergone simple preparation , in so far as these are not plants , including wood and bark .

This let in trade in production that are currently manage under the EU plant passport regime or capable to third land controls under current EU rule . It also includes campaign of wood packaging material between the UK and the EU .

Before 29 March 2019Currently there are no molding controller on most imports and exportation of plants and plant intersection between the UK and the EU . Some plants and plant intersection that pose a gamy biosecurity hazard are managed under the EU plant pass regime .

For business deal with third countries , the summons is different . Some plant life and plant products that do not pose a biosecurity risk can move freely . Others , have it away as ‘ controlled ’ plants and plant life products , must meet sure import requirements because they are considered to pose a risk to constitute health . The import nation determines which plants and plant product are hold .

The list of plants and works products managed under the EU plant passport authorities for trade between EU countries is not the same as the list of commodities from outside the EU – third res publica goods - that are check by the EU .

Controlled third land goods include all plants for planting ( include some seeds ) and sure plant products . These goods are specified in theEU Plant Health Directiveand associated legislation , implement in the UK through home legislation in England and the devolved administrations .

Controlled goods export from the UK to third countries are determine by the country receiving the good and must go with a Phytosanitary Certificate ( PC ) issued by the relevant plant wellness potency , and are ordinarily checked on arrival at the edge of the third country concerned . The relevant plant health sureness is the Animal and Plant Health Agency ( APHA ) in England and in Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government , the Department of Agriculture , Environment and Rural Affairs ( DAERA ) in Northern Ireland , and the Scottish Government ’s Plant Health Service in Scotland . For forestry material , the relevant authority is the Forestry Commission ( FC ) orDAERAin Northern Ireland .

The relevant UK plant wellness authorities are responsible for enforcing consequence control and for issuing Phytosanitary Certificates for export from the UK .

Natalie Wood promotion materialWood promotion cloth ( WPM ) includes pallet , crate , box seat , overseas telegram drums , spools and dunnage .

WPMimported from and export to third nation is capable to International Standard for Phytosanitary Measure No . 15 ( ISPM15 ) . This is an international standard under the International Plant Protection Convention that commonwealth must go for to reduce the risk of exposure of the introduction and spread of certain pests . ISPM15requiresWPMto be treated ( typically using warmth discourse ) and marked . Risk - based hinderance are carried out onWPMmoving from third countries into the UK to ensureISPM15standards are being get together .

presently , WPMmoving between the UK and the balance of the EU does not want to meetISPM15requirements and can move freely without checks or mastery . WPMmoving in and out of Portugal and parts of Spain must conform toISPM15standards , owe to the presence of Pinewood nematode .

After March 2019 if there ’s no Brexit dealIn the unlikely event that the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 with no hatful , the UK would be treated as a third land and would fall back access to the EU plant passport authorities . This would affect businesses that export to the EU , import from the EU , and move some plant and plant products within the UK . Exports to and import from current third countries would not be directly pretend .

Exports from the UK to EU countriesIn a ‘ no deal ’ scenario , the UK would become a third state , and would need to meet EU third country import requisite to export command plants and plant products to the EU , include ascendancy on all plant for planting and all wood packaging material .

The process for institutionalise controlled industrial plant and plant production to the EU would be the same as the current process for sending them to third countries . Under this process , businesses require to enforce for a Phytosanitary Certificate ( PC ) from the relevant UK plant health authority before they can export . Some trade good require science laboratory testing of samples to ensure they are gratis from pests and disease , while others also need to have had an review during the growing time of year .

These services are subject to fee and charge . More information about fee and chargesis useable onGOV.UK .

payload of controlled works and flora products exported to the EU from the UK may be dependent to checks at the EU border .

signification from EU countries to the UKTo render a smooth changeover when we leave the EU , in a ‘ no deal ’ scenario the Government has decide that the majority of plants and plant product are low - endangerment and should continue to enter the UK from the EU freely , as they do now .

There would be some exceptions :

Plants and plant products bring off under the EU works pass regime : plant and plant product currently managed under the EU plant passport authorities would be subject to UK significance controls to substitute the assurance and traceability offered by the EU plant pass regime , maintaining biosecurity whilst minimising the impact on businesses .

Consignments of these industrial plant and plant products entering the UK would require aPCissued in the country of export ( or re - exportation ) , and the importer or the importer ’s agent would need to inform the relevant plant wellness authorisation in the UK before the freight arrived . Further point of how toinform the relevant plant wellness authorityare uncommitted on GOV.UK . The importer or broker would also need to provide scanned copies of thePCand relevant written document in advance to the relevant UK plant wellness authorisation , and cater the original copy of thePConce the consignment has arrived .

Consignments of plants and plant intersection from EU land would not be break at the border . The relevant UK plant wellness authority would convey out documentary and identity checks remotely . These checks would be charge for by the plant wellness authority .

As presently , plant health inspectors would continue to have a bun in the oven out adopt - up inspection inland on a peril - targeted basis . The government does not charge for such inspection .

plant life and industrial plant product grow outside the EU and arrive in the UK via the EU : industrial plant and plant production that hail from non - EU countries , but move around to the UK via the EU without an EU extremity state carrying out plant health checks , would be treated as non - EU importation and subject to third country control condition on arrival in the UK . Further details oncurrent third country controlsare useable on GOV.UK . Detail on alternative arrangements for points of debut that do not have capacity to hold out third nation controls at the border will be made available in due track .

Plants and plant life products proceed within the UKIn the unbelievable result of a ‘ no deal ’ scenario , there would be a new UK industrial plant passport regime . plant and works products currently covered by the EU plant passport regime when moved within the UK would be get by by the new UK regime . Businesses wish to move these plants and plant products within the UK would require to be authorised by the relevant UK industrial plant wellness authorisation to issue UK plant passports . They would need to issue plant passport when moving those works and plant products within the UK .

Wood packaging materialAs indicated in theEU ’s proficient notice on this topic , in the unbelievable event of the UK leaving the EU in March 2019 without a deal , allWPMmoving between the UK and the EU would need to beISPM15compliant ( handle and denounce ) . These products may be open to official checks either upon unveiling to the EU or after entry .

Defra , the Forestry Commission and other relevant UK works health authority are work with theWPMsector who see what actions they will involve to take to superintend this new demand in a no good deal scenario .

More informationInformation on theUK and EU ’s current third country import requisite can be establish on GOV.UK .

This notice is think for guidance only . You should consider whether you need separate professional advice before create specific preparations .

For the perfect text of the technical bulleting please clickhere .

For further info or advice please contact Sally Cullimore , HTA Policy Executive . Email[email   protect ]