The document summarizes new EU phytosanitary import requirements for fresh fruits and vegetables that take effect on September 1, 2019 and December 14, 2019. Key changes include requiring phytosanitary certificates for more products, stricter requirements to control for harmful organisms in certain fruits like citrus and mango, and prohibiting imports of "high risk plants" unless countries prove they are pest-free. Exporters are advised to contact local authorities to ensure they can comply with the new rules around phytosanitary certificates and requirements specified for individual products to maintain access to the EU market.

1. EU Phytosanitary Import
Policy
Fresh Produce Centre
Inge Ribbens
International Affairs
Rotterdam, 21 October 2019

2. Agenda
• Introduction: The Netherlands
• Introduction: Fresh Produce Centre
• EU Phytosanitary Import Policy: new requirements

3. Welcome at the Dutch F&V sector!

4. Export Dutch agricultural products
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
Others
Fish
Tobacco
Drinks
Animal feed
Fats
Cocoa
Grain
Dairy products/eggs
Floriculture
Other prepared products
Living animals/meat
FRUIT & VEGETABLES
NL: worldwide
No. 2 agricultural
exporter

5. The fresh produce sector ensures the availability of
healthy and sustainable food

6. The Netherlands: global player F&V
Export:
50% NL product &
50% import product
¾ of all import
is re-exported

7. Netherlands: hub in the world

8. Vegetables
Fruit & Vegetables
Fruit
Production country

9. Production of fruit and vegetables in NL
46.850
34.850
16.570
7.070
4.120
Source: CBS 2018
Vegetables open ground
Onions
Apple / pear
Other fruit
Glass vegetables
Total +/- 110.000 ha

10. Export

11. Fresh Produce Centre
Industry organisation for F&V
• Trading companies (import / export / domestic)
• Growers’ associations
• 340 members (> 80% sector NL)
• Members turnover: € 15 billion
• Voice of the industry
• Knowledge centre
• Networking platform

12. Knowledge Centre
Examples:
• Food Safety (regulation and monitoring)
• Product Quality
• Phytosanitary requirements
• Certification schemes
• Information management through the chain

13. Fresh Produce Centre
Fresh Produce Centre supports member companies
in international trade, access to non-European
markets and informs them with data about food
safety, phytosanitary issues, customs and pre-
competitive market intelligence.

14. Dedicated supply chains
Product
Quality Phyto
Food
safety
Social
Environ-
mental
Security

15. EU Phytosanitary Import Policy

16. Challenges
• F&V: global market
• Worldwide: non-tariff measures (SPS) increasing
• Import policy: strict requirements
- food safety
- pest free products → protection local production
• Protection or protectionism?
Fresh Produce Centre:
• Industry needs to take more responsibility
• Number of interceptions ↓
• Effective protection, with the least impact on trade
• Reward good performing supply chains

17. A lot of countries worldwide:
….. unless
proven not to
be a risk…..
First: Pest Risk Analysis
(PRA)

18. European Union:
….. unless
proven to be
a risk…..

19. Review EU Import policy
• Start review 2013
• Call for better protection + more focus on proactive action
• Southern member states: call for closed system
• 2016: compromise, key messages:
- EU open system remains, subject to certain import conditions
- Only measures against regulated pests (regulated
permanently or under temporary measures)
- Possibility to temporary ban new trade linked to unknown risks
and high risk commodities on the basis of provisional risk
assessment
• 2018: proposal 8 member states: banning all imports of several products from
third countries (e.g. citrus, mango)
• EU: not approved, but: political compromise → new/strict requirements
• The Netherlands: only 3,3% of votes

20. New Plant Health Legislation
• Changes 1 September 2019
→ amending Annexes I to V of current legislation (EU) 2000/29
• Changes 14 December 2019
→ New Plant Health legislation

21. A. Phytosanitary certificate (PC) for several fruits & vegetables
→ “plant health inspectie” in country of origin + PC
→ No PC: shipment is blocked at import
Before 1 September 2019 already a PC for example for: some citrus
species, eggplant, mango
New, for example: all citrus species, kiwi, papaya, avocado
EU Regulation 2019/523:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/GA/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0523
What’s new? 1 September 2019

22. B. New / stricter EU import requirements for several
fruit & vegetables
• EU Regulation 2019/523: protective measures against the
introduction of harmful organisms
• In general most articles have 4 options to be allowed to enter
the EU:
(a) country free from….
(b) area free from ….
(c) pest free production site
(d) effective treatment
• But: specific requirements can be different for each product/harmful
organism. Always check the legislation!
What’s new? 1 September 2019

23. Which fruit & vegetables?
FRUITS – All countries (outside EU):
• Citrus, Fortunella Swingle, Poncirus + hybrides
• Malus (apple)
• Pyrus (pear)
• Mangifera (mango)
• (All) Prunus (e.g. peach, nectarine, cherry, plum…)
VEGETABLES – All countries (outside EU):
• Capsicum annuun
• Solanum aethiopicum (“bitter tomato”)
• Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)
• Solanum melongena (eggplant)

24. Citrus, Fortunella, Poncirus All countries (outside EU) - 16.5 Tephritidae (non European)
Malus (apple) All countries (outside EU)
_________________________________
Canada, Mexico, USA
- 16.7 Enarmonia prunivora,
Grapholita inopinata, Rhagoletis
pomonella
- 16.8 Guignardia piricola
- 16.9 Tachypterellus quadrigibbus
_________________________________
- 16.10 Grapholita packardi
Pyrus (pear) All countries (outside EU)
_________________________________
Canada, Mexico, USA
- 16.8 Guignardia piricola
- 16.9 Tachypterellus quadrigibbus
________________________________
- 16.10 Grapholita packardi
Mangifera (mango) All countries (outside EU) - 16.5 Tephritidae (non European)
Prunus (e.g. plum/peach) All countries (outside EU)
_________________________________
Canada, Mexico, USA
- 16.5 Tephritidae (non European)
_________________________________
- 16.10 Grapholita packardi
Vaccinium (blueberry) Canada, Mexico, USA - 16.10 Grapholita packardi
Examples:

25. Citrus & Mango – Article 16.5
Non-European Tephritidae (fruit flies)
4 options to export to EU:
A. Country free from ….
→ this freedom status has to be communicated in advance in writing by the
national plant protection organisation (NPPO) of the third country
concerned to the European Commission
B. Area free from …..
→ communication in advance by NPPO to EU
→ area has to be mentioned on the phytosanitary certificate under
“Additional declaration”

26. Citrus & Mango – Article 16.5
Non-European Tephritidae (fruit flies)
C. Pest free production site (+ information traceability included in certificate)
→ (no communication in advance to EU)
→ no signs of relevant Tephritidae at the place of production and in its
immediate vicinity
→ official inspections carried out at least monthly during the three months
prior to harvesting
→ none of the harvested fruits has shown, in appropriate official
examination, signs of the relevant organism
D. Effective treatment
→ to ensure freedom from ….
→ treatment data should be indicated on the phytosanitary certificate
→ communication in advance by NPPO to EU

27. Option D: effective treatment
October 2018:
EU proposal for new (draft) regulation: treatment of harvested fruits
→ mango: in practice mandatory hot water treatment → problems quality / shelf life!
→ lobby The Netherlands / Fresh Produce Centre → result: treatment of fruits
→ this includes the possibility of a “systems approach”
Effective treatment
European Commission has accepted that an effective treatment could also include a systems approach
to ensure “freedom from”….
Phytosanitary certificate
treatment data should be indicated on the phytosanitary certificate
→ referring to application of a systems approach
Systems approach
Example: South Africa – citrus – False Codling Moth

28. Systems approach
• group of integrated pest risk management measures
• provide importing countries with adequate phytosanitary security
• while facilitating trade
• in situations where direct postharvest commodity treatment is undesirable, not
feasible or non-existent (e.g. HWT for mango)
• ISPM 14: “The use of integrated measures in a systems approach for pest risk
management”
https://www.ippc.int/en/publications/607/

29. Production
• Grower registration
• Monitoring / auditing
• Corrective actions
• Site management
• Orchard sanitation
• Pest monitoring
• Pest control
• Records
• Training staff
• Packer registration
• Monitoring / auditing
• Corrective actions
• NPPO inspection
• Phytosanitary
certificate
Post-Harvest
• Grading / sorting
• Quality control
• Sanitation / hygiene
• Cold storage
• Pest proof packaging
• Records
• Training staff
• Cold storage
• Conditions during
transportation
• Pest proof packaging
• Records
Export
Systems approach
Regulatory steps
Production/industry practices

30. C. NPPO third country: communication in advance to European
Commission regarding pest status / treatment before
1 September 2019
• EU Regulation 2019/523
• No communication:
→ no import allowed under that specific option (e.g. “country free”)
→ for most products: only option c (pest free production site)
allowed (no communication required)
• Communication on a later date, for example 1 January 2020, is possible → but:
no import allowed under that specific option during the period
1 September 2019 – 1 January 2020
• Overview on EU website
What’s new? 1 September 2019

31. Communication Third countries
https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/plant_health_biosecurity/non_eu_trade/declarations_en

32. Communication with regard to
mango & citrus (incl. limes)
Guatemala
Tephritidae (non-European), to which fruits of 16.5 are known to be susceptible
Article 16.5 16.5 (a)
country
freedom
16.5 (b)
pest free areas
16.5 (d)
treatment
Last
communication
Citrus n.a. n.a. √ Aug. 2019
Mango n.a. n.a. x
Prunus n.a. n.a. x

33. Communication with regard to
mango & citrus (incl. limes)
Costa Rica
Tephritidae (non-European), to which fruits of 16.5 are known to be susceptible
Article 16.5 16.5 (a)
country
freedom
16.5 (b)
pest free areas
16.5 (d)
treatment
Last
communication
Citrus n.a. n.a. n.a. Aug. 2019
Mango n.a. n.a. √ Aug. 2019
Prunus n.a. n.a. n.a. Aug. 2019

34. Communication with regard to
mango & citrus (incl. limes)
El Salvador
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
All countries: no communication to EU
Check EU website for up-to-date information:
https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/plant_health_biosecurity/non_eu_trade/declarations_en

35. Important for exporters
CHECK: phytosanitary certificate required for your product? If yes:
• Check with local authorities to make sure they can issue
PC for the relevant product
CHECK: extra requirements for your product? If yes:
• Contact local authorities (NPPO) about the status of the harmful
organism in your country/area → to discuss which option (a,b,c or d)
could be complied with;
• Most options must be communicated in advance to EU;

36. Important for exporters
• Some options take “preparation” / time → option c (pest free
production site”: official inspections during three months
before harvest or export;
• Systems approach (“treatment”, option d): effort and time
from both industry and government;
• Make sure the correct additional declaration is mentioned on
phytosanitary certificate
→ overview website NPPO The Netherlands:
https://www.nvwa.nl/onderwerpen/import-planten-groenten-fruit-plantaardige-
producten/documenten/import/fytosanitair/nvwa-import-
fytosanitair/publicaties/bijschrijvingen-bij-import-groenten-en-fruit

37. Changes 14 December 2019

38. A. Phytosanitary certificate (PC) for ALL fruits & vegetables
Only 5 exemptions:
What’s new? 14 December 2019
CN Code Description
ex 0804 30 00 Ananas comosus (L.) Merril Pineapples
ex 0801 12 00, ex 0801 19 00 Cocos nucifera L. Coconuts
ex 0810 60 00 Durio zibethinus Murray Durians
ex 0803 10 10, ex 0803 90 10 Musa L. Bananas
ex 0804 10 00 Phoenix datylifera L. Dates

39. B. Phytosanitary certificate: “Additional Declaration”
in full wording
• Article 71(2) of the new Plant Health Law (EU) 2016/2031
• Full wording of the relevant requirement should be mentioned
under “Additional Declaration”
• It is not enough to mention the specific article
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32016R2031
What’s new? 14 December 2019

40. C. High risk plants: import into EU territory prohibited
• EU Regulation 2018/2019 → List of “high risk plants”
• Import prohibited from 14 December 2019 until a full risk
assessment has been carried out
• Third country should submit application and technical dossier to EU
to be exempted from the prohibition
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32018R2019
(see Annex I for the list of high risk plants)
What’s new? 14 December 2019

41. High risk plants:
• Mostly (ornamental) plants / plants for planting
• 2 F&V products:
What’s new? 14 December 2019
CN Code Description Country
ex 0601 10 90
ex 0601 20 90
ex 0714 90 20
Ullucus tuberosus Loz. All third countries (outside EU)
ex 0709 99 90 Momordica L. Third countries or areas of third
countries where Thrips palmi
Karny is known to occur* and
where effective mitigation
measures for that pest are
lacking

42. * Indication for countries where Thrips palmi is known to occur:
https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/THRIPL/distribution
Costa Rica:
present, restricted
distribution
Guatemala:
absent, unreliable
record
Source: EPPO

43. Get in contact with your local authorities (NPPO) a.s.a.p to
make sure they can issue a phytosanitary certificate for all
fruits & vegetables (5 exemptions) and to check if their
systems are able to state the additional declarations in full
wording.
Important for exporters

44. Thank you for your attention
Questions?
More information:
Fresh Produce Centre
(GroentenFruit Huis)
Inge Ribbens
ribbens@fpcnl.eu
+31 (0)79 3681100
+31 (6) 30741444