Introduction
Products of plant origin for human consumption (HC) are imported into the European Union (EU) from all over the world.
To prevent risks to public health and the spreading of plant diseases, the EU has drawn up an extensive and highly harmonized set of regulations.
Unlike for products of animal origin, no systematic checks are carried out on products of plant origin and only in case of safeguard measures a health certificate is mandatory as described in the respective legislation. In order to protect public health the EU has established increased checks for a series of products/non-EU country combinations.
You can find detailed information on the specific pages of DG Health and Food Safety in the section.
On the website of DG Health and Food Safety there are numerous links to the website containing the regulations of the European Union.
Official controls
Introduction
Commission implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 on the one hand imposes special conditions on very specific products and on the other hand provides for a temporary increase of official controls on food (and feed) originating from well defined third countries and intended to be placed on the EU market.
The list of food to be controlled is set out in the Annex to the Regulation. This list is reviewed every six months and updated when necessary.
These products may only enter the EU territory through the Border Control Posts (BCPs).
ALL countries: DG Health and Food Safety
On the website of DG Health and Food Safety there are numerous links to the website containing the regulations of the European Union.
Inspections and decision
Pre-notification
Each consignment of foodstuffs subject to the regulation must be notified by an operator responsible for the consignment to the FASFC at the Border Control Post (BCP) where the consignment will arrive. This notification must be made at least one day in advance of the consignment’s estimated time of arrival on EU territory. The pre-notification must be submitted by means of a Common Health Entry Document (laid down in Commission implementing Regulation(EU) 2019/1715), the CHED-D, of which Part I is filled out completely and correctly. For each consignment a CHED-D must be drawn up via the TRACES (IMSOC) system.
Checks
The checks are carried out in the BCP, at least the documentary check.
Identity and physical checks may also be carried out in the premises (inspection centres and control points) provided that they meet the minimum requirements listed in Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2019/1014.
In addition, the goods of Annex I to Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2019/1793 may already leave the BCP and inspection centres for the company of destination mentioned in the CHED-D pending the results of the sampling during the physical check and then be released in case of a favorable result. The conditions under which these goods may be considered for further transport are set out in Delegated regulation (EU) 2019/2124. The onward transportation facilities (OTF) receiving the goods must meet the following requirements:
Documentary checks
Each consignment of the products listed in Annex I and II to Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2019/1793 shall be subjected to a documentary check on the basis of the submitted CHED. For this purpose, where applicable, the original EU official certificate accompanying the consignment must be submitted together with the CHED-D to the GCP where the consignment enters.
An assessment is made as to whether the official certificate, where applicable, is original, meets the model required by the EU and/or contains the correct information.
Identity checks
If a physical check is decided upon, both of these checks allow to sample the correct product and have the sample analysed.
Physical checks
This is usually accompanied by sampling of the product;; if the consignment is visibly contaminated, it will be rejected immediately.
Decision
After the checks have been carried out, the person in charge of the BCP will make a decision regarding the consignment. The consignment may be either accepted or rejected. If the consignment is allowed into the country, it is thereby released for free circulation throughout the entire European Union.
A rejected consignment shall be eligible for re-exportation, destruction or special treatment, after which it is either admitted or given another purpose.
The person responsible for the consignment shall receive a CHED signed and stamped by the person in charge of the BCP (or an electronic equivalent).