2454 final report.pdf - Agra CEAS Consulting

Evaluation of the Community Plant Health Regime: Final Report
DG SANCO Evaluation Framework Contract Lot 3 (Food Chain)
and, consignments must be issued a 'plant health movement document' for movement to the
indicated destination and may only be released after satisfactory examination.
For non-EU goods in transit, the identity and plant health checks may be made by the official
body at PoD, if certain rules are met (cooperation with customs and traceability of the goods
from PoD to PoE are important in these cases).
From the general survey results, it is clear that for the large majority of MS CAs and
stakeholders controls have been effective in preventing the introduction of HOs into the
Community, whether carried out at the PoE or the PoD. However, in the case of the controls at
final destination, it is noted that a large number of CAs have responded ‗do not know‘, possibly
indicating that they are less certain of the effectiveness of controls at PoD compared to controls
at PoE.
General survey results
Q3.1 Extent to which the following plant health procedures and requirements for commercial import of
plants and plant products have been effective in preventing the introduction of HOs into the Community:
Reasons MS-CA Stakeholders
a. Fulfilment of minimum requirements for 18 out of 26 (6 do not know) 11 out of 23 (10 do not know)
PoE and BIPs 115
b. Documentary checks at border 21 out of 25 (3 do not know) 13 out of 23 (8 do not know)
c. Identity checks at border 22 out of 26 (4 do not know) 12 out of 23 (8 do not know)
d. Plant health checks 19 out of 26 (4 do not know) 13 out of 23 (6 do not know)
e. Possibility to perform identity and PH 14 out of 24 (7 do not know) 10 out of 23 (7 do not know)
checks at PoD
f. Identity checks at final destination 15 out of 25 (10 do not know) 12 out of 23 (8 do not know)
g. Plant health checks at final destination 15 out of 26 (9 do not know) 12 out of 23 (8 do not know)
n. Plant Health movement document (for
checks at final destination)
15 out of 26 (7 do not know) 11 out of 23 (8 do not know)
In general, the procedures for import control are reported to be effective at PoE but interviewees
have provided examples showing controls have not been fully effective, as follows.
Certain cases were reported, where phytosanitary certificates have been falsified before control
checks at border checking points. In case of non-compliance identified at border point, it is not
so simple to act in line with the requirements of the Directive, by for example destroying
contaminated plants and products (especially in the case of wood packaging material and
pallets). According to several interviewees the reliability of the phytosanitary certificate depends
significantly on the country of origin. It does not necessarily guarantee that the exporting country
meets the Community import requirements.
Plant health checks are much more effective when symptoms of HOs are visible during the
inspections. Detection of latent infection remains difficult, even when samples for laboratory
analysis are taken. For example Rhynchophorus ferrugineus was introduced from Egypt to Spain
and Dryocosmus kuriphilus was introduced to Italy from a third country. Additionally, when
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