Plant health: Import control concerning listed invasive alien species

| Plant Protection Service

The publication of the Commission's Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1141 makes import controls on listed invasive alien species compulsory for certain categories of goods.

The Federal Office for Food Safety (BAES) provides information on import controls for listed invasive alien species.

EU-Regulation No. 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species entered into force on 1st of January 2015.

Invasive Alien Species (short form: IAS) are plants and animals whose introduction and spread to new habitats endanger or adversely affect the biodiversity and the related ecosystem services.

With the entry into force of the amendment to the Plant Protection Act, announced on 23.02.2016, the competent import authorities are responsible for official controls to prevent the introduction in accordance with Article 15, para. 2-5 of Regulation (EU) 1143/2014. In the case of plants (including seeds), the competent authority is the Federal Office for Food Safety; in the case of animals, the veterinary authority in the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK). The respective areas of responsibility with regard to carrying out import controls for invasive alien species are communicated and coordinated between the competent authorities, the BAES, the BMSGPK and the customs authority in the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF).

Import controls on invasive alien species are limited to certain categories of goods classified in the Combined Nomenclature (CN) codes and listed in columns (ii) and (iii) of the Union list of invasive species (Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2016/1141, announced on 14.07.2016).

If invasive alien species are detected during the checks, the goods may not be imported into the territory of the Union (except in case of an import permit pursuant to Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 1143/2014).

Since the Union list was published from 03.08.2016 on categories of goods that are subject to inspection and assigned to columns (ii) and (iii) of the Union list must be presented to the import authorities to carry out the import inspection. Confirmation that this inspection has been carried out is a requirement for customs clearance.

The Union list was updated on 02.08.2017 by the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1263 and will be completed by the Implementing Regulations (EU) 2019/1262 and 2022/1203. See therefore also following technical notifications:

EU legislation:

Further information on this topic can be found under the following links:

For any questions concerning the import control of listed IAS please do not hesitate to contact the staff of the Official Plant Protection Service.

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