Frequency rates for plant import controls 2025
- Official controls
- Plant health controls
Summary
The EU has updated the frequency rates of import controls for certain plants, including food plants from Argentina, Cameroon, China, Egypt, Morocco, Thailand, and Türkiye; also for certain products from all European countries outside the EU.
EU updates frequency rates of import controls for certain plants
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/355 of 21 February 2025 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2389 concerning the establishment of frequency rates for identity checks and physical checks on consignments of plants, plant products and other objects entering the Union
Update
The EU has updated the frequency rates of import controls for certain plants, including food plants from Argentina, Cameroon, China, Egypt, Morocco, Thailand, and Türkiye; also for certain products from all European countries outside the EU.
Impacted Products
Plants and plant products, including apples, avocados, blueberries, citrus, cranberries, strawberry, turmeric, stone fruits, peaches, pears
What is changing?
Frequency rates for identity and physical checks on plant-related consignments entering the EU have been updated for various food plant products from different regions.
Increased identity and physical checks for:
- Citrus from Morocco
- Apples (Malus) from Argentina
- Turmeric (Curcuma longa) from Thailand
- Strawberries (Fragaria) – despite a reduced frequency at 5% for most countries, strawberries from Egypt are now checked at 100% due to recent pest interceptions
- Avocado (Persea americana) – despite a low baseline rate of 1% for all countries, avocados from Cameroon are now checked at 100% due to recent pest interceptions.
Decreased identity and physical checks for:
- Apples (Malus), pears (Pyrus), and Prunus from European countries outside the EU (non-Member States)
- Prunus from Türkiye
- Pears (Pyrus) from China
- Citrus from Egypt and Türkiye.
Table 1 provides details of the changes.
Why?
Frequency rates are reviewed annually based on updates from the EU’s Information Management System for Official Controls (IMSOC), the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), and EU Member States. These reviews are risk-based, taking into account pest biology (particularly the potential mobility of quarantine pests), compliance records, past interceptions, and trade volumes.
Timeline
The new Regulation and its amendments apply from 1 March 2025.
Recommended Actions
Non-EU countries should ensure that their plant exports comply with EU phytosanitary requirements to reduce the likelihood of interceptions and the imposition of increased physical checks. This requires enhanced plant health measures and certification processes.
Background
Regulation (EU) 2022/2389 aims to standardise the frequency rates for identity and physical checks on plant-related consignments entering the EU. The frequency of checks is based on the risk level of each product and its origin.
Initially, all consignments must be checked at a rate of 100%. The frequency rates are reviewed yearly, and can be reduced for lower-risk items upon request by Member States.
However, high-risk items always remain subject to full checks (Regulation 2016/2031, Arts 28(1), 30(1), 49(1)). These include any plant or plant product susceptible to increased phytosanitary risk, and all plants intended for planting.
Regulation 2019/1715 lays down rules for the functioning of IMSOC, which integrates the following information systems:
- Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (iRASFF)
- Animal Diseases Information System (ADIS)
- European Union Notification System for Plant Health Interceptions (EUROPHYT)
- Trade Control and Expert System for exchanging data, information, and documents (TRACES).
Resources
Regulation (EU) 2024/591 concerning the establishment of frequency rates for identity checks and physical checks on consignments of plants, plant products and other objects entering the Union
Regulation (EU) 2022/2389 establishing rules for the uniform application of frequency rates for identity checks and physical checks on consignments of plants, plant products and other objects entering the Union
Regulation (EU) 2019/1715 laying down rules for the functioning of the information management system for official controls and its system components
Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products
Regulation (EC) 1756/2004 specifying the detailed conditions for the evidence required and the criteria for the type and level of the reduction of the plant health checks of certain plants, plant products or other objects listed in Part B of Annex V to Council Directive 2000/29/EC
Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 on protective measures against pests of plants
Information Management System for Official Controls (IMSOC)
Sources
Regulation (EU) 2025/355 concerning the establishment of frequency rates for identity checks and physical checks on consignments of plants, plant products and other objects entering the Union
Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall COLEAD be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered that is claimed to have resulted from the use of information available on this website or any link to external sites. The use of the website is at the user’s sole risk and responsibility. This information platform was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents do not, however, reflect the views of the European Union.
EU updates frequency rates of import controls for certain plants
Regulation (EU) 2025/355 concerning the establishment of frequency rates for identity checks and physical checks on consignments of plants, plant products and other objects entering the Union
What is changing and why?
This Regulation updates the frequency rates for identity and physical checks of plants, taking into account pest biology, past cases of non-compliance, and trade volume.
Increased identity and physical checks for:
- Citrus from Morocco
- Apples (Malus) from Argentina
- Turmeric (Curcuma longa) from Thailand
- Strawberries (Fragaria) – despite a reduced frequency at 5% for most countries, strawberries from Egypt are now checked at 100% due to recent pest interceptions
- Avocado (Persea americana) – despite a low baseline rate of 1% for all countries, avocados from Cameroon are now checked at 100% due to recent pest interceptions.
Decreased identity and physical checks for:
- Apples (Malus), pears (Pyrus), and Prunus from European countries outside the EU
- Prunus from Türkiye
- Pears (Pyrus) from China
- Citrus from Egypt and Türkiye.
Table 1 provides details of the changes.
Actions
To reduce the risk of interceptions, and the introduction of increased physical checks, non-EU countries should ensure their plant exports comply with EU phytosanitary requirements by introducing (among others) enhanced plant health measures and certification processes.
Timeline
The new frequencies of checks apply from 1 March 2025.
Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall COLEAD be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered that is claimed to have resulted from the use of information available on this website or any link to external sites. The use of the website is at the user’s sole risk and responsibility. This information platform was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents do not, however, reflect the views of the European Union.