G/SPS/N/GBR/9  
 
9 June 2021  
(21-4720) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED KINGDOM  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):   
− Fruit, vegetables (other than leafy vegetables): Solanum melongena  (aubergines) , 
07 09 30 00,  07 09 30 00 00,  07 09 99 90 90 ; Capsicum , peppers and chillies , 07 09 
60 10 00,  07 09 60 99 20, 07 09 60 99,  07 09 60 91 00,  07 09 60 95 00 ; Solanum 
lycopersicum (tomatoes) , 07 02 00 00 99,  07 02 00 00 07 ; Zea mays  (sweetcorn) , 
07 09 99 60 10,  07 09 99 60 90 ; Annona /custard apple , 08 10 90 20,  08 10 90 75,  
08 10 90 20 90,  08 10 90 75 90 ; Malus  (apples) , 08 08 10 10 00,  08 08 10 80 10,  
08 08 10 80 90,  08 08 10 80 90,  08 08 10 80 20,  08 08 10 80 10 ; Persea americana  
(avocado) , 08 04 40 00 10 ; Carica papaya  (pawpaw) , 08 07 20 00 ; Vitis (grapes) , 
08 06 10 10 90,  08 06 10 10 05 ; Pyrus  (pears) , 08 08 30 90 90,  08 08 30 10 00,  
08 08 30 90 10 ; Prunus , 08 09 10 00,  08 10 90 75 90,  08 09 29 00,  08 09 21 00,  
08 09 40 05,  08 02 11 10,  08 02 11 90,  08 09 40 90,  08 10 90 75,  08 09 10 00,  
08 09 21 00, 08 09 40 05,  08 09 40 90,  08 09 21 00,  08 09 29 00 ; Prunus persica , 
08 09 30 90 00,  08 09 30 10 00 ; Cydonia  (quince) , 08 08 40 00 00 ; Rubus  - 
Raspberry , 08 10 20 10 ; Rubus  other e.g. blackberries, loganberries, mulberries , 
08 10 20 10 00,  08 10 20 90 00, 08 10 20 90,  08 10 20 10 ; Fragaria  (strawberries) , 
08 10 10 00 00 ; Vaccinium , 08 10 40 50 00,  08 10 40 90,  08 10 40 30 00,  08 10 
40 10. 
− Cut flowers:  Aster, 06 03 19 70 90 ; Chrysanthemum , 06 03 19 70 90 ; Dianthus , 
06 03 12 00 00 ; Eryngium/Eryngium leave s, 06 03 19 70 90 ; Gypsophila , 06 03 19 
70 90; Hypericum , 06 03 19 70 90 ; Lisianthus , 06 03 19 70 90 ; Orchids , 06 03 13 
00 00; Rosa, 06 03 11 00 00,  06 03 19 70 90 ; Solidago , 06 03 19 70 90.  
− Leaves of plants, such as herbs, spices and leafy vegetables:  Ocimum/sweet basil , 
12 11 90 86 20,  14 04 90 00 90.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  GB Risk Targeted Plant Health Import Inspections  . 
Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  5 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/GBR/21_3973_00_e.pdf  
(This document is the method document underlying the legislation .) 
6. Description of content:  In response to the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, 
there was a need to develop a risk targeted phytosanitary import inspection regime for 
Great Britain (GB). This would allow reduced levels of identity and physical checks on 
lower risk regulated material of plant health relevance. Most consignments of regulated  
plants, plant products or other objects for import should, in principle, be subject to G/SPS/N/GBR/9  
 
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  documentary, identity and physical checks before being permitted entry. However, during 
the time that the United Kingdom was a member of the European Union, its Plant Health 
Services applied a regime of reduced frequency plant health checks. This w as to make 
efficient use of inspection resources. Consignments of some plant products or other 
objects, with a  good history of compliance with phytosanitary requirements, were allowed 
a reduced frequency of plant health checks, provided they met certain eligibility criteria.  
Following the end of the Transition Period, GB Plant Health Services have developed their 
own risk targeted inspection system to allow for lower levels of checks of regulated plant 
health goods. Under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and the European Union 
(Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, the United Kingdom has retained the EU Official 
Controls Regulation which requires such a system to be developed. The GB risk targeted 
inspection system, which will be targeted at pests that present a risk of becoming 
established in Great Britain, as opposed to all pests regulated under the previous 
EU regime, will allow for continued efficiency at the GB border, as fewer checks will be 
made on the lowest risk material. Justification for developing a system of lower -level 
checks is supported by the fact that there are no records of regulated pests becomi ng 
established in Great Britain as a result of infestation on regulated imports of low risk plant 
produce.  
The attached document (Reduced phytosanitary checks outline method) sets out the 
method by which the level of checks will be determined, which will b e laid down in 
legislation. As a draft of the legislation is not yet available, we are using the method 
document to notify WTO of our intention.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relev ant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 21 October 2021  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 21 October 2021  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 1 January 2022  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 8 August 2021  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
UK SPS Contact Point, Defra, Nobel House, London SW1P 3JR  
E-mail: UKSPS@defra.gov.uk  G/SPS/N/GBR/9  
 
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  13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address , fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
UK SPS Contact Point, Defra, Nobel House, London SW1P 3JR  
E-mail: UKSPS@defra.gov.uk