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Summaries of EU Legislation

Movement of certain plants and plant products through protected zones

 

SUMMARY OF:

Directive 93/51/EEC — movements of certain plant and plant-related materials through a protected zone and movements of such materials originating in and moving within such a protected zone

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DIRECTIVE?

  • It seeks to complement plant health rules (currently contained in Directive 2000/29/EC) to guard against the introduction into designated protected zones* of the EU of organisms harmful to plants or plant products to counter their spread. These organisms include insects, nematodes (a worm of the large phylum Nematoda, such as a roundworm or threadworm) and bacteria.
  • This directive allows EU countries to permit certain plants to be moved in or through protected zones without the need for a plant passport valid for the appropriate protected zone so long as specific conditions are met.

KEY POINTS

  • EU countries may request the designation of special protection from harmful organisms for all or part of their territory. A protected zone is defined in relation to a particular harmful organism.
  • The general rules state that plants, plant products or other objects (e.g. certain types of wood or soil) which are potential carriers of harmful organisms of relevance for certain protected zones must be accompanied by a plant passport valid for the appropriate zone when introduced into or moved within that zone.
  • However, in respect of the movement through a protected zone of plants, plant products or other objects originating outside the zone, Directive 93/51/EEC lays down the following conditions:
    • the packaging and the vehicles used to transport the plants must be clean and free from the relevant organisms and be of an appropriate type to ensure there is no risk of harmful organisms spreading;
    • immediately after packaging and loading, the packaging or vehicle used must be secured so there is no risk of harmful organisms spreading in the protected zone; they must remain secured during transport;
    • the plant materials must be accompanied by a document, normally used for trade purposes, indicating that the products originate outside the protected zone and have a destination outside the protected zone.
  • Where an official check takes place and it is found that the above conditions have not been met, the packaging is sealed and the plant materials are transported under official control outside the protected zone.
  • Similar conditions apply to plant materials originating in and moving within a given protected zone. However, the official checks may be satisfied by meeting the conditions laid down in the detailed rules for surveys undertaken for the purposes of identifying protected zones (Directive 92/70/EEC). These detailed surveys are carried out annually and involve taking samples of plants, plant products and the growing medium in the zones in question.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DIRECTIVE APPLY?

It has applied since 24 July 1993 and it had to become law in the EU countries by 1 June 1993 (the date referred to in Council Directive 91/683/EEC, an act which was subsequently repealed and replaced by Council Directive 2000/29/EC).

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

KEY TERMS

Protected zone: designated on the basis that there is danger that a particular harmful organism could become established due to favourable environmental conditions.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Commission Directive 93/51/EEC of 24 June 1993 establishing rules for movements of certain plants, plant products or other objects through a protected zone, and for movements of such plants, plant products or other objects originating in and moving within such a protected zone (OJ L 205, 17.8.1993, pp. 24-25)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament of the Council of 26 October 2016 on protective measures against pests of plants, amending Regulations (EU) No 228/2013, (EU) No 652/2014 and (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directives 69/464/EEC, 74/647/EEC, 93/85/EEC, 98/57/EC, 2000/29/EC, 2006/91/EC and 2007/33/EC (OJ L 317, 23.11.2016, pp. 4-104)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 690/2008 of 4 July 2008 recognising protected zones exposed to particular plant health risks in the Community (Recast) (OJ L 193, 22.7.2008, pp. 1-6)

Successive amendments to Directive 2000/29/EC have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community (OJ L 169, 10.7.2000, pp. 1-112)

See consolidated version.

Commission Directive 92/70/EEC of 30 July 1992 laying down detailed rules for surveys to be carried out for purposes of the recognition of protected zones in the Community (OJ L 250, 29.8.1992, pp. 37-39)

last update 28.02.2018

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