EN   EN 
 
 
 EUROPEAN  
COMMISSION   
Brussels, XXX   
SANTE/7141/2018 
(POOL/G3/2018/7141/7141 -EN.doc)  
[…](2019) XXX  draft  
 
COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/...  
of XXX  
supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council as regards rules concerning the performance of specific official controls of wood 
packaging material, notification of certain consignments and measures to be taken in 
cases of non -compliance  
This draft has not been adopted or endorsed by the European Commission. Any 
views expressed are the preliminary views of the Commission services and may not 
in any circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the Commission.   
EN 1  EN COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/...  
of XXX  
supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council as regards rules concerning the performance of specific official controls of wood 
packaging material, notification of certain consignments and measures to be taken in 
cases of non -compliance  
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union , 
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 
15 March 2017 on official controls and other offi cial activities performed to ensure the 
application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant 
protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) 
No 1069/2009, (EC) 1107/2009, (EU) 1151/ 2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and 
(EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 
1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 
2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repea ling Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) 
No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 
89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council 
Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regu lation)1, and in particular Articles 45(4) and 
77(1)(d) thereof , 
Whereas:  
(1) Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishes 
inter alia the framework for the performance of official controls and other official 
activities on animals and goods entering the Union territory from third countries to 
verify compliance with Union legislation in order to protect human, animal and plant 
health, animal welfare and, in relation to GMO and plant protection products, also the 
environment . 
(2) Wood packaging material, which may accompany all kinds of objects, is known to be 
a source of introduction and spreading of pests of plants. Forms of wood packaging 
material that may serve as a pathway for pests posing a risk of spreading of pests of 
plant s in the Union  include but are not limited to packing cases, boxes, crates, cable 
drums and spools/reels, pallets, box pallets and other load boards, pallet collars and 
dunnage, whether or not actually in use in the transport of objects of all kinds. The 
volumes of wood  packaging material entering the Union territory by means of 
transport are substantial .  
(3) Articles 43 and 96 of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of 
the Council2 set out specific import conditions for the introduction into the Union 
                                                 
1 OJ L 95 7.4.2017, p. 1.  
2 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  
EN 2  EN territory of wood packaging material. Article 77(1)(d) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 
empowers the Commission to establish rules for the performance of specific official 
controls to verify compliance of wood packaging material with these requirements, at 
the places referred to in Article 44(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, and on measures 
in cases of non -compliance .  
(4) To ensure the effectiveness of checks on wood packaging material entering the Union 
territory and to avoid any risk of introduction or spreading o f pests of plants , rules 
should be adopted to supplement those in Regulation (EU) 2017/625 concerning the 
performance of specific official controls of wood packaging material and measures to 
be taken in cases of non -compliance . 
(5) Specific import conditions f or wood packaging material set out in Article 43(1) of 
Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 do not apply to material which  is subject to the 
exemptions provided for in the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No 
15 - Regulation of Wood Packaging Material  in International Trade (ISPM15) . Such 
material should therefore be exempted from the scope of this Regulation . 
(6) With a view to identifying consignments where wood packaging material, which may 
present the highest phytosanitary risk for the Union territory is present and which 
accordingly should be subject to specific official controls, the competent authorities of 
Member States should establish a monitoring plan based on a risk approach . 
(7) On the basis of that monitoring plan, the competent authorities should  select 
consignments of wood packaging material for the performance of the specific official 
controls. Moreover, the competent authorities should have the possibility to require the 
customs authorities, where necessary, for the performance of the specific official 
controls by the competent authorities, to detain selected consignments in which wood 
packaging material is present until the specific official controls are completed . 
(8) Wood packaging material is not included in the lists of goods subject to officia l 
controls at border control posts referred to in point (c) of Article 47(1) of Regulation 
(EU) 2017/625 . 
(9) Article 45(4) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 empowers the Commission to specify 
cases where and the conditions under which competent authorities may requ est 
operators to notify the arrival of certain goods which are not subject to controls at 
border control posts.  
(10) For competent authorities to be able to plan and perform specific official controls on 
wood packaging material in an effective manner, they shou ld be able to request 
operators to inform them of the arrival of consignments where wood packaging 
material is present within a reasonable time in advance.  
(11) Therefore, the possibility for competent authorities to request operators to notify the 
competent au thorities in advance of the arrival of such consignments should be 
foreseen together with the rules on specific official controls on wood packaging 
material laid down in this Regulation. The i nformation management system for official 
controls (IMSOC) set u p and managed by the Commission in accordance with Article 
131(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 may be used for such notifications.  The 
competent authorities may request operators responsible for the consignment to notify, 
by way of the IMSOC, by way of exis ting national information systems or in another 
                                                                                                                                                         
Council Directives 69/464/EEC, 74/647/EEC, 93/85/EEC, 98/57/EC, 2 000/29/EC, 2006/91/EC and 
2007/33/EC ( OJ L 317, 23.11.2016, p. 4.).    
EN 3  EN way agreed to by the competent authority, within a reasonable time in advance 
specified by the competent authorities, the arrival.  
(12) The Common Health Entry Document (CHED) referred to in Article 56 of Regulati on 
(EU) 2017/625 should be used to record the results of the specific official controls in 
the IMSOC . The recorded results of official controls will provide an overview of the 
situation regarding specific official controls on wood packaging material carrie d out in 
Member States, as a basis for further actions to protect the Union territory from the 
spreading of pests of plants.  
(13) The provisions of this Regulation should apply without prejudice to the relevant 
provisions of Regulation No (EU) 952/2013 of the E uropean Parliament and of the 
Council3.  
(14) Where the competent authority decides to re -dispatch non -compliant wood packaging 
material to a destination outside the Union pursuant to point (b) of the first 
subparagraph of Article 66(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/ 625, the non -compliant wood 
packaging material should remain under official customs supervision, until it leaves 
the Union territory, to avoid any risk of introduction of pests into the Union or 
spreading of pests.  
(15) When non -compliant wood packaging materi al is found during physical checks at the 
point of release for free circulation in the Union or at the place of destination, such 
material should be immediately destroyed, in view of the higher risk for the spreading 
of Union quarantine pests, which cannot  be prevented by less effective means.  
(16) Regulation (EU) 2017/625 applies from 14 December 2019. Accordingly, the rules 
laid down in this Regulation should also apply from that date , 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:  
Article 1  
Subject matter and scope  
1. This Regulation lays down rules for the performance of specific official controls of 
wood packaging material or wood products (excluding paper products) intended for 
supporting, protecting or carrying a commodity entering the Union territory, whether 
or not act ually in use in the transport of objects of all kind (‘wood packaging 
material’), and measures in case of non -compliance . 
2. This Regulation also establishes cases where and conditions under which the 
competent authorities may request operators to notify t he arrival of certain 
consignments entering the Union territory in which wood packaging material is 
present . 
3. This Regulation does not apply to wood packaging material referred to in the second 
subparagraph of Article 43(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 c oncerning the 
exemptions provided under the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures 
No 15 - Regulation of Wood Packaging Material in International Trade (ISPM15).  
 
                                                 
3 Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013 laying 
down the Union Customs Code (OJ L 269, 10.10.2013, p. 1).   
EN 4  EN Article 2 
Monitoring plan 
The competent authorities shall develop a monitoring plan on wood packaging material on the 
basis of a risk analysis taking into account at least the following:  
(a) the number and results of specific official controls conducted in previous years 
on wood packaging material carried out by the competent authori ties, on the 
basis of information from the information management system for official 
controls (IMSOC);  
(b) the history of compliance by the third country, the exporter or the operator 
responsible for consignments, with Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, in partic ular 
Article 43(1) and point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 96(1) of that 
Regulation;  
(c) where available, information from customs authorities and from other sources 
regarding the number of consignments entering the Union in which wood 
packagin g material is present and the country of origin of the consignment . 
Article 3 
Notification of consignments  
The competent authorities may request operators responsible for the consignment to notify, by 
way of the IMSOC, by way of existing national information systems or in another way agreed 
to by the competent authority, within a reasonable time in advance specified by the competent 
authorities , the arrival of consignments entering the Union territory in which wood packaging 
material is present .  
Article 4 
Specific official controls on wood packaging material  
1. The competent authorities shall select for physical checks consignments  in which 
wood packaging material is present,  on the basis of : 
(a) the monitoring plan referred to in Article 2;  
(b) where applicable, information provided in the notifications referred to in 
Article 3; and  
(c) any other relevant information at their disposal.  
2. The competent authorities shall carry out physical checks of the consignments that 
have been selected in accor dance with paragraph 1, to verify their compliance with 
the import requirements laid down in Article 43(1) and point (a) of the first 
subparagraph of Article  96(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031.  
3. The competent authorities may require the customs authorit ies, if deemed necessary 
for the purpose of physical checks in accordance with paragraph 2 and for the 
duration of those checks , to detain selected consignments in which wood packaging 
material is present .  
4. While performing specific official controls, t he competent authorities shall have 
access to the entire consignment, in a way that the physical checks referred to in 
paragraph 2 may be carried out on the entirety of the wood packaging material 
present in the consignment.   
EN 5  EN 5. Within three working days fr om the beginning of the detention of the consignment in 
which wood packaging material is present, the competent authority shall submit to 
the customs authorities the results of the checks of the detained consignment.  
6. Where physical checks cannot be com pleted within three working days from the 
beginning of the detention of the consignment in which wood packaging material is 
present, the competent authorities may request the customs authorities to continue 
the detention of the consignment for additional t hree working days in order to 
complete the checks.  
In this case, if technically possible, the customs authority may release the 
consignment if the operator responsible for the consignment separates the wood 
packaging material from the consignment.  
7. A consignment that has been detained by the customs authorities pursuant to 
paragraph 3 shall be released if, within three working days from the beginning of the 
detention, the competent authorities have not submitted the results of the checks in 
accordance with paragraph 5 or have not requested the customs authorities to 
continue the detention for additional three working days in accordance with 
paragraph 6.   
Article 5 
Reporting of results of specific official controls  
1. After the completion of the specific  official controls in accordance with Article 4, the 
competent authorities shall:  
(a) complete the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) with the results of 
specific official controls as referred to in Article  56(3)(b)(i) of Regulation (EU) 
2017/625;  
(b) submit the results of the specific official controls of the wood packaging 
material to the IMSOC directly or via existing national systems; and  
(c) notify the operator responsible for the consignments in which wood packaging 
material is present and the cust oms authorities of the results of the specific 
official controls.  
2. Where the operator responsible for the consignment in which wood packaging 
material is present is notified by the competent authorities of  the results of the 
specific official controls t hrough a CHED, the operator shall provide the reference 
number of the CHED as a supporting document as referred to in Article 163 of 
Regulation (EU) 952/2013 to any customs declaration which is lodged with the 
customs authorities for this consignment.   
Article 6 
Measures in cases of non -compliance  
1. The competent authorities shall order, in accordance with Article 66 of Regulation 
(EU) 2017/625, destruction, re -dispatch or special treatment of wood packaging 
material that does not comply with the requireme nts set out in Article 43(1) and point  
(a) of the first subparagraph of Article  96(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031.  
However, where such non -compliant wood packaging material is found during 
physical checks in accordance with Article 4 at the consignment’s  point of release for 
free circulation in the Union or at the consignment’s place of destination, as referred  
EN 6  EN in Article 44(3)(c) and (e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 , the competent authorities 
shall order the operator concerned to destroy the wood packagin g material without 
delay . Prior to and during destruction, the wood packaging material shall be handled 
in a way that prevents spreading of Union quarantine pests as defined in Article 4 of 
Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 . 
2. Where the competent authorities deci de to order the operator responsible for the 
consignment to re -dispatch non -compliant wood packaging material outside the 
Union pursuant to point (b) of the first subparagraph of Article 66(3) of Regulation 
(EU) 2017/625, the consignment in which non -compl iant wood packaging material is 
present shall remain under official customs supervision, in accordance with the 
appropriate customs procedure, until the non -compliant wood packaging material 
leaves the Union territory . 
Article 7 
Entry into force and date o f application  
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union . 
It shall apply from 14 December 2019.  
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.  
Done at Brussels,  
 For the Commission  
 The President  
 Jean -Claude JUNCKER