Importing plants and plant products from the UK – phytosanitary certificate and inspections

Importing live plants, seedlings, seeds, bulbs and rhizomes from the United Kingdom into Poland is a procedure that demands meticulous documentation prepared well before the consignment is loaded. Since Brexit, the United Kingdom has become a third country for the purposes of the European Union's phytosanitary rules, which means that every consignment of plants crossing the EU border must be accompanied by a valid phytosanitary certificate issued by the competent UK authority – APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency). The absence of this document results in the consignment being held at the border and, in many cases, being destroyed or returned to the UK at the importer's expense. This article explains step by step which plants require a certificate, how the phytosanitary inspection procedure works in Poland, and how to avoid the most common mistakes when importing plants from the United Kingdom.

Which plants require a phytosanitary certificate from the UK?

Not all plant consignments require a full phytosanitary certificate; however, the scope of the regulations is broad. The table below sets out the main categories:

Goods category	Phytosanitary certificate required
Deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs	YES
Ornamental plant cuttings and seedlings	YES
Cut plants (including cut flowers for commercial purposes)	YES (with exceptions)
Bulbs and rhizomes (tulips, daffodils, seed potatoes)	YES
Vegetable and flower seeds	YES
Ware potatoes (food commodity)	YES – strict inspection
Fresh fruit and vegetables intended for consumption	YES (selected categories)
Processed fruit and vegetables (frozen, preserved, dried)	NO
Timber and wood products	Separate phytosanitary regime

The key rule: every live plant intended for planting or propagation, regardless of the scale of trade, requires a UK phytosanitary certificate.

How to obtain a phytosanitary certificate in the United Kingdom

The procedure on the UK exporter's side is as follows:

Step 1 – Registration with APHA. The exporter must register in the PEACH system (Plant Export and Administration Certification Hub) operated by APHA. Without registration it is not possible to submit an application for a certificate.

Step 2 – Application for inspection. The exporter submits an application for a phytosanitary inspection of the goods. An APHA inspector visits the storage premises or glasshouse and carries out a visual inspection. They check for the presence of harmful organisms and diseases, and verify that the requirements of the country of destination (in this case Poland/EU) are met.

Step 3 – Issuing the certificate. Following a satisfactory inspection, APHA issues the phytosanitary certificate. The document contains: a description of the goods, HS codes, quantity, country of destination, the phytosanitary declaration, the certificate number and the inspector's signature.

Fees: APHA charges a fee for the inspection and issue of the certificate. The rate depends on the number of species and the duration of the inspection – approximately £60–150 for a standard inspection.

Certificate validity: The certificate is valid for 14 days from the date of issue. The plants must cross the EU border within this period.

What does the phytosanitary inspector check at the Polish border – the role of PIORIN

On the Polish side, phytosanitary inspections are carried out by PIORIN – the State Plant and Seed Inspection Service (Państwowa Inspekcja Ochrony Roślin i Nasiennictwa). Border phytosanitary checks take place at designated Border Control Posts (BCPs).

The scope of the PIORIN inspection covers:

1. Documentary check – verification of the authenticity and completeness of the phytosanitary certificate. The inspector checks whether the certificate number appears in the TRACES system as having been invalidated.

2. Identity check – verification that the goods match the description in the certificate (species, quantity, packaging condition, markings).

3. Phytosanitary inspection – physical inspection of the plants. The inspector takes samples and checks for the presence of quarantine harmful organisms (e.g. Xylella fastidiosa, Phytophthora ramorum, Colorado beetle, powdery mildew).

The rate of physical inspection is set by the European Commission based on the risk associated with a given commodity from a given country. For plants from the UK post-Brexit, this rate is relatively high.

TRACES – pre-notification is mandatory

Before a consignment arrives at a Polish BCP, the importer or their representative must submit a pre-notification in the TRACES NT system (Trade Control and Expert System – New Technology). This is the EU system for managing the movement of regulated goods.

Pre-notification deadlines: - Plants and plant products transported by road or rail: at least 1 working day before the expected arrival - Air transport: at least 4 hours before landing

No pre-notification = automatic refusal to accept the consignment for inspection.

What happens if plants are held at the border?

If the PIORIN inspector identifies a breach of phytosanitary requirements, the importer faces one of three decisions:

Decision	When applied	Cost to the importer
Destruction of the consignment	A quarantine organism has been detected	Destruction costs + fees
Return to the UK	Missing certificate or non-compliance	Return freight + storage
Quarantine and treatment	Decontamination is possible	Quarantine costs + treatment costs

The costs of a hold can far exceed the value of the goods themselves (particularly with ornamental plants). This is why verifying documentation before loading is absolutely critical.

HS codes for plants – what are you importing from the UK?

Chapter 06 of the Combined Nomenclature (HS) covers live plants and floricultural products:

HS code	Description
0601	Bulbs, tubers, tuberous roots, corms and rhizomes (dormant, in growth or in flower)
0602	Other live plants, cuttings, slips and grafts
0603	Cut flowers and flower buds
0604	Foliage, branches and other parts of plants for decorative purposes

Customs duty rates for plants from the UK to the EU under the TCA (Trade and Cooperation Agreement) are generally zero for goods that satisfy the rules of origin requirements (proof of origin). However, phytosanitary compliance is entirely separate from duty rates – even where duty is 0%, failure to meet PIORIN requirements will result in the consignment being held.

Common mistakes when importing plants from the UK

Based on operational experience at customs agencies, the most frequent mistakes are:

1. No certificate for tulip and daffodil bulbs. Importers incorrectly assume that flower bulbs, as a "dry plant product", do not require a certificate. This is not correct – bulbs intended for planting always require a phytosanitary certificate.

2. Expired certificate. The shipment was delayed by a few days and the certificate issued 16 days ago is no longer valid (14-day limit).

3. Species mismatch in the certificate. The certificate lists Rosa spp. (roses), but the actual consignment also contains Hedera spp. (ivy) – which does not appear in the document.

4. No pre-notification in TRACES. The HGV driver is waiting at the border while the importer has not submitted the notification with the required advance notice.

5. Wrong BCP. The plant consignment entered through a border crossing that does not hold BCP status for plants.