Phytosanitary Certificates for Seeds from EU: January or July?

[Paul Cumbleton]

My reading of the post-Brexit regulations is that a Phytosanitary Certificate for most of the kinds of seeds we grow won't be required until 1st July 2022. This is based on the information on this government web page: https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/eu-exit-guidance/imports/list-of-goods-that-will-be-regulated-from-1-january-2022/. Items are classified in one of 3 groups, "High priority", "Regulated and Notifiable" and "Regulated". If I have understood this page correctly, all seeds except those specifically listed there fall under "Regulated" and about these it says: "From 1 July 2022: All plants, plant products and other objects categorised as either ‘regulated and notifiable’ or ‘regulated’ must be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate".

Do others agree with my interepretation?

I ask because based on this I ordered seeds from Vlastimil Pilous. However he tells me he spoke to UK plant health on the phone and was told that all seed needs a Phyto from 1st January, so he is unable to fulfill my order. I believe that what he was told is wrong, which does not surprise me - in my experience, Plant Health staff often seem not to understand their own rules and if in doubt choose to err on the safe side by telling you you need certain paperwork when in fact you don't.

Or have I just misunderstood these new rules too?

Another Government webpage seems to make it pretty clear to me that July 1st is the right date. I quote:

Regulated plants and plant products

From 1 July 2022, these other regulated goods must go through some plant health controls:

    all fresh produce
    all seeds
    all cut flowers

You can find a full list of all regulated goods on the Plant Health Portal.

From 1 July 2022, if you import regulated plants and plant products from this list you’ll need to get a phytosanitary certificate from your EU exporter.

Paul

[David2carver]

My reading of the post-Brexit regulations is that a Phytosanitary Certificate for most of the kinds of seeds we grow won't be required until 1st July 2022. This is based on the information on this government web page: https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/eu-exit-guidance/imports/list-of-goods-that-will-be-regulated-from-1-january-2022/. Items are classified in one of 3 groups, "High priority", "Regulated and Notifiable" and "Regulated". If I have understood this page correctly, all seeds except those specifically listed there fall under "Regulated" and about these it says: "From 1 July 2022: All plants, plant products and other objects categorised as either ‘regulated and notifiable’ or ‘regulated’ must be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate".

Do others agree with my interepretation?

I ask because based on this I ordered seeds from Vlastimil Pilous. However he tells me he spoke to UK plant health on the phone and was told that all seed needs a Phyto from 1st January, so he is unable to fulfill my order. I believe that what he was told is wrong, which does not surprise me - in my experience, Plant Health staff often seem not to understand their own rules and if in doubt choose to err on the safe side by telling you you need certain paperwork when in fact you don't.

Or have I just misunderstood these new rules too?

Another Government webpage seems to make it pretty clear to me that July 1st is the right date. I quote:

Regulated plants and plant products

From 1 July 2022, these other regulated goods must go through some plant health controls:

    all fresh produce
    all seeds
    all cut flowers

You can find a full list of all regulated goods on the Plant Health Portal.

From 1 July 2022, if you import regulated plants and plant products from this list you’ll need to get a phytosanitary certificate from your EU exporter.

Paul

From what I've read, I agree that seeds so far do not need phyto certificate until July, the following European seed business explains it well on their site.
http://www.rareplants.es/shop/page.asp?id=UK
Im still trying to work out which plants/ seeds are regulated and need to be notified to the border agencies. And others that can pass on just holding a phyto certificate.

[Vinny 123]

Is anyone certain about the position of personal imports of seeds and plants from the EU into the UK? Do they need a phyto'?

Wading through the DEFRA website is a long job and usually contradictory, and they never answer emails from me.

My recollection was that NL was to be the first EU country that was to be required to provide phyto's, with others to follow over the following few months, around 18 months ago, or was it the year before? But that was very quickly scrapped.

[Maggi Young]

The Seed Team has addressed this matter of phyto certs here: https://www.srgc.net/add-seed-donations.asp

[Vinny 123]

Many thanks.

I did search the DEFRA website and that provided contradictory advice as I had expected.

There is also the chance that the rules have changed in past 9-10 months.

Thanks again.

[Maggi Young]

I understood that the notes on the Seed Exchange pages have been recently updated!

[Vinny 123]

Thanks again - if it is mentioned on the page, I missed it.