How to Import Plants and Plant Products
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Any commercial entity engaged in production or trade of plants and plant products from the EU or Third Countries must register with the Department . These include:
Private individuals with non-commercial purposes do not need to register with the Department.
Phytosanitary Certificate is a legal document issued by the NPPO (National Plant Protection Organisation) of the country of export for goods and commercial consignments of plant origin certifying that they are free from certain / specified harmful and quarantine pests and diseases. Click here to see an example of a Phytosanitary Certificate.
All personal and commercial consignments of plants and plant products require a phytosanitary certificate upon entry into the European Union.
Plants are defined as living plants and the following living parts of plants:
a) seeds, in the botanical sense, other than those not intended for planting;
b) fruits, in the botanical sense;
c) vegetables;
d) tubers, corms, bulbs, rhizomes, roots, rootstocks, stolons;
e) shoots, stems, runners;
f) cut flowers;
g) branches with or without foliage;
h) cut trees retaining foliage;
i) leaves, foliage;
j) plant tissue cultures, including cell cultures, germplasm, meristems, chimaeric clones, micro-propagated material;
k) live pollen and spores;
l) buds, budwood, cuttings, scions, grafts;
Fruits of Coconuts, Dates, Bananas, Pineapples and Durians are exempt from a phytosanitary certificate.
See the list of prohibited plants .
A Phytosanitary Certificate can be obtained from the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) from the country of origin of the plant or plant product.
There are no checks at the border on plants and plant products originating in other member states within the European Union. However, it is a requirement for that only registered operators with the Department may import plants into Ireland from the European Union. It is also a requirement that all plants traded between professional operators within the EU have a plant passport. This is to guarantee a robust traceability system for plants within the European Union to safeguard against an outbreak or finding of pests and diseases which could harm the country’s agriculture industry and wider environment.
Please carefully note the following information when importing or otherwise risk delays or entry refusal at the Irish border:
1. Complete the CHED-PP (Common Health Entry Document for Plants, Plant Products and Plant propagating material) part 1 via TRACES NT
2. Necessary documents and logistical information must be submitted 24 hours in advance via DAFM’s Imports Control Web portal . Instructions on how to use the web portal can be found here . The documents and information required are as follows:
Instructions on how to complete a CHEDPP part 1 can be found here .
3. The importer or customs agent will receive an automatic confirmation email that the Department have received an application. This email will contain a Case Reference Number. This is an automated reply and only refers to receipt of application and is not an approval for entry.
4. If the application is incomplete or documents are missing, the operator responsible for the consignment will be notified of this via email. The email will outline what information or documents are still required. In this case, to proceed the operator responsible for the consignment must resubmit the outstanding information via the link attached on the email.
Please note incomplete applications will likely lead to delays in the processing applications.
5. On arrival, consignments will be subject to documentary, identity and physical checks by a Department official.
6. On the date of arrival of the consignment the operator responsible for the consignment will be notified the allocated inspections time at the Border Control Post. It is the responsibility of the operator responsible for the consignment to ensure that the consignment is presented at the allocated time at the Border Control Post to avoid delays.
7. On successful completion of checks, a Clearance Certificate will be issued to Customs and the operator responsible for the consignment.
8. If a consignment is rejected at any stage of the checking process, the operator responsible for the consignment will be notified via email outlining the reasons for rejection. In the event of a rejection of an application the Customs SAD (Single Administrative Document) is also rejected. If the operator responsible for the consignment wishes to reapply, they must supply a new Customs SAD and reapply to the Department via the process outlined above.
9. The original phytosanitary certificate must be presented to a Department inspector at the Border Control Post in Cargo Terminal 3 in Dublin airport on the day of arrival of the consignment.
Note: It is the responsibility of the operator responsible for the consignment to ensure that any additional documentary processes necessary to clear Customs Control have been completed.
Please carefully note the following information when importing or otherwise risk delays or entry refusal at the Irish border:
1. Complete the CHEDPP part 1 via TRACES NT
2. Necessary documents and logistical information must be submitted 24 hours in advance via the Department’s Imports Control Web portal . Instructions on how to use the web portal can be found User Guide INIS Portal . The documents and information required are as follows:
3. The importer will then receive an automatic confirmation email that the Department have received an application. This email will contain a Case Reference Number. This is an automated reply and only refers to receipt of application and is not an approval for entry.
4. If the application is incomplete or documents are missing, the person responsible for the consignment will be notified of this via email. The email will outline what information or documents are still required. In this case, to proceed the person responsible for the consignment must resubmit the outstanding information via the link attached on the email.
Please note incomplete applications will likely lead to delays in the processing applications.
5. On arrival, consignments will be subject to documentary, identity and physical checks by a Department official.
6. On successful completion of checks, a Clearance Certificate will be issued to Customs and the person responsible for the load.
7. If a consignment is rejected at any stage of the checking process, the person responsible for the load will be notified via email outlining the reasons for rejection. In the event of a rejection of an application the Customs SAD is also rejected. If the person responsible for the load wishes to reapply, they must supply a new Customs SAD and reapply to the Department via the process outlined above.
8. The original phytosanitary certificate together with a copy of the relevant clearance certificate must be received within 5 working days from the date of issue of the clearance certificate at the address below:
Note: It is the responsibility of the importer to ensure that any additional documentary processes necessary to clear Customs Control have been completed.
There are no requirements for personal consignments of plants and plant products coming from the European Union, however we do recommend that when returning from other EU member states that people are aware of the risk of bringing in plants that may contain pests and diseases of plants that are not native to Ireland which have the potential to cause damage to the agriculture industry and wider environment.
It is a requirement if purchasing plants over the internet from an operator within the European Union they must be accompanied by a valid plant passport.
If the plants are being sent privately there are no requirements.
Personal consignments of plants and plant products entering the EU from a third country must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. This can be obtained from the authorities in the country of origin of that plant or plant product.
The plant or plant product with the phytosanitary certificate must be presented to the Agriculture Inspector at the point of entry when entering the country.
Personal consignments of plants and plant products entering the EU from a third country via postal or courier services must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. This can be obtained from the authorities in the country of origin of that plant or plant product.
This will be validated at the point of arrival by the Department inspector.
Go to the new registering as a professional operator page .