USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN Report

Global Agriculture Information Network

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Voluntary Report - public distribution Date: 5/31/2006 GAIN Report Number: IT6025 IT6025 Italy Trade Policy Monitoring Limits on Non-commercial Shipments of Plant Materials 2006

Approved by: Geoffrey Wiggin FAS Rome Prepared by: Alberto Menghini

Report Highlights: The Government of Italy is expected to publish shortly a regulation on limits applying to personal shipments of plant products entering the country. Plant health officials at airports have agreed to apply interim limits based on international experience.

Includes PSD Changes: No Includes Trade Matrix: No Unscheduled Report Rome [IT1] [IT] GAIN Report - IT6025 Page 2 of 2

Background

The importation into the European Union of live plants, and other plant materials, is regulated by EU Council Directive 2000/29/EC. The standard EU import procedure for commercial shipments of live plants provides for the so-called "identity and health checks carried out at the place of destination." This implies that plant health authorities of the importing country must have previously approved an importer for this purpose. Exemptions to the above requirements are applicable for the entry of small quantities of plants, where the plant materials are intended for use by the owner or recipient for non-industrial or non- commercial purposes, or for consumption during transport. For additional information see http://ec.europa.eu/comm/food/plant/organisms/imports/index_en.htm. Usually the same limits apply for plants imported in passengers' baggage and for other non-commercial shipments. It is up to member states to allow such derogations.

Italian Limits

The Government of Italy will soon approve final rules for live plants and fresh vegetable materials being imported into the country for personal use. Personal use includes goods carried by travelers in their baggage and goods shipped for non-commercial purposes. Commercial shipments can only be shipped to companies that have been authorized by the official plant health services for handling imported plant material. Lists of authorized importers are maintained by agricultural services (assessorati) of regional governments. While waiting for the final rule to be published, plant health officials in the main international airports have agreed to apply limits based on applicable practices in other EU and non-EU countries. The limits for non-commercial shipments of live plants and fresh plant materials currently enforced are as follows:

Product Limit Live plants 5 units of very small plants or 1 kilo Bulbs 1 kilo Seeds 5 bags of 2 grams Flowers 40 flowers or 1 bunch Fresh fruit and vegetables 2 kilos

Importation for personal use waves only the requirement of shipping to an authorized recipient. All other plant health requirements applying to commercial shipments (only authorized species, bare-rooted plants, health certificate, etc.) remain applicable. FAS Rome will report when the final rule is published.

UNCLASSIFIED USDA Foreign Agricultural Service