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Wood packing material requirements in the event of No-Deal Brexit

The International Standard for Phytosanitary Measure (ISPM) No. 15 is an international phytosanitary measure developed by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) that sets down standards for the phytosanitary treatment and marking of wood packing materials (WPM). Photo: Brent Keane.

In the event of a No-Deal Brexit, the UK will leave the EU and become a third country, i.e. a non-EU Member State, on October 31, 2019, and International Standard for Phytosanitary Measure (ISPM) No. 15 will apply to Ireland-UK trade.

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Horticulture

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10 October 2019

The Brexit deadline of October 31 is approaching, and this week we had a government prepare a budget under the assumption of a No-Deal Brexit scenario, it still remains unclear what will happen come October 31, but one things is for certain, preparedness for any scenario is essential.

The government released an information note for the trade on wood packing materials (WPM) to inform the trade of the need for WPM to be treated in accordance with In the event of a No-Deal Brexit, the UK will leave the EU and become a third country, i.e. a non-EU Member State, on October 31, 2019, and International Standard for Phytosanitary Measure (ISPM) No. 15 will apply to Ireland-UK trade. ISPM No. 15 when exporting to the UK in a No-Deal Brexit scenario.

What is ISPM No. 15?

ISPM No. 15 is an international phytosanitary measure developed by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) that sets down standards for the phytosanitary treatment and marking of WPM.

WPM is a term used to describe pallets, crates, dunnage, etc., used in international trade for the transport of goods of all kinds. The aim of ISPM No. 15 is to prevent the international movement and spread of disease and insects harmful to the health of plants, trees, forests, or ecosystems.

ISPM No. 15 does not currently apply to Ireland-UK trade. However, in the event of a No-Deal Brexit, the UK will leave the EU and become a third country, i.e. a non-EU Member State, on October 31, 2019, and ISPM No. 15 will apply to Ireland-UK trade.

ISPM No. 15 and the export of goods using WPM from Ireland to the UK

In the event of a No-Deal Brexit, according to an information notice on the UK government website, the position of the UK government is, “In the event of no deal, all WPM moving between the UK and the EU must meet ISPM15 international standards by undergoing heat treatment and marking. All WPM may be subject to official checks either upon or after entry to the EU. Checks on WPM will continue to be carried out in the UK on a risk-targeted basis only. The plant health risk from WPM imported from the EU is not expected to change as a result of an EU exit.”

ISPM No. 15 and the import of goods using WPM from UK to Ireland

In March 2018, the EU indicated the following regarding imports into the EU. “As of the withdrawal date, the introduction of plants, plant products, and other objects from the UK into the EU-27 will be governed by this Directive (Council Directive 2000/29/EC). This is in particular relevant for the introduction into the EU of wood packaging material: such wood packaging, whether or not actually in use for the transport of objects of all kinds, has to be compliant with a treatment and mark as specified in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) International Standard for Phytosanitary measures No. 15 (‘ISPM 15’)”.

What are the requirements?

ISPM No. 15 requires WPM to be:

  • Either heat-treated (HT), fumigated (MB), or heat-treated using dielectric heating (DH).
  • Officially marked with the ISPM No. 15 stamp consisting of three codes (country, producer, and measure applied) and the IPPC logo.
  • Debarked.

Contacts and further information

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