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European plant health talks reach conclusion

19 January 2016

The new legislation is part of the so-called ‘Five Part Package’, which was proposed by the commission in 2013. It will address preventative measure for imported plants and response mechanisms for what are considered ‘high-risk’ plants.

It will also modernise tools related to intra-EU trade or trade with countries outside the EU focusing on a risk-based approach. If a plant is classed as ‘high risk’, it will be barred from entering the EU until a full risk assessment has been carried out.

If the legislation is formally adopted, the commission will have the ability to quickly implement temporary measures restricting the import of plants which have not undergone a risk assessment when it is believed that a particular plant or plant product poses an imminent risk.

The new framework is still subject to the formal approval of the Parliament and Council, and the aim is for the regulation to come in to force by the end of 2016. There will be a three-year transition period during which the relevant pieces of secondary legislation will be adopted.

Source: NFU Online via HortiBiz