G/SPS/N/GBR/5  
 
19 February 2021  
(21-1425) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED KINGDOM  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)  
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):  Plants for planting of  Coffea , Lavandula sp. Nerium oleander , 
Olea europaea , Polygala myrtifolia , Prunus dulcis and Rosmarinus officinalis  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners  All third countries importing these products into Great Britain 
will be affected by these new requirements.  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  The Official Controls and Phytosanitary Conditions 
(Amendment) Regulations 2021. Language(s): English . Number of pages: 9 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/GBR/21_1221_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Part 3 of the O fficial Controls and Phytosanitary Conditions 
(Amendment) Regulations 2021 introduces amendments to Commission Implementing 
Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, to include additional measures to prevent the establishment 
or spread of Xylella fastidiosa  (Wells et al.) in Great Britain. The aim of these measures 
is to protect GB biosecurity generally, i.e. plant/trees growing in the wider environment, 
and protect GB businesses which trade in Xylella  host plants from the impact of 
restrictions which would be imposed fol lowing an outbreak of Xylella . 
Under the new measures , imports of the highest risk host plants ( Polygala  and Coffea ) 
are only allowed from countries where Xylella  is known not to occur.  
The existing requirements applying to the import of other host plants ( olive, almond, 
lavender, rosemary and Nerium oleander)  from countries where Xylella  is known to occur 
have been strengthened. Imports will only be permitted under certain conditions, 
including inspections of the place of production and the surround ing area, testing, pre -
export inspections and a one -year quarantine period prior to import.  
The existing requirements for plants from countries where Xylella  is not known to occur, 
which include annual official inspection, with sampling and testing of the plants, are to be 
maintained.  
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.  G/SPS/N/GBR/5  
 
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  8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  There is considered 
to be a particular risk of introducing Xylella  with olive, almond, lavender, rosemary, coffee 
and Polygala  plants, and t hese are the hosts which would be subject to additional 
requirements. Previous outbreaks have had major social and economic impacts on 
inflicted countries in Europe and the Americas. The pathogen is not known to be present 
in the United Kingdom, but we rem ain concerned about the possibility of Xylella  arriving 
in the United Kingdom from third countries on high risk hosts. The long latency period of 
Xylella  means that, without additional requirements, it could be carried into non -infected 
countries via impor ts of plants, long before the infection is identified. The uncertain 
distribution and ongoing findings in European countries indicate an ongoing risk of disease 
spread. The current baseline for GB legislation is the previous EU emergency decision 
(Commissi on Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/789) which requires updating to 
account for the long latency period, the evidence of movement of Xylella  in traded plants 
and the increase in the number of outbreaks within Europe.  
We are therefore increasing restrictio ns and requirements for the import of high risk 
Xylella  host plants to reduce the likelihood that Xylella  is introduced into Great Britain. 
The aim of these measures is to enhance the level of protection against the risk of entry 
of Xylella  into Great Brit ain via imported plants. Following the commencement of 
amendments to the Phytosanitary Conditions Regulation made by the Plant Health 
(Phytosanitary Conditions) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, these measures 
have been reviewed and refined and provi de the basis to mitigate against the risk of 
introduction of this pest into Great Britain.  
9. 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) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
− ISPM 4 on the requirements for the establishment of pest free areas  
− ISPM 10 on the requirements for the establishment of pest free places of 
production and pest free production sites  
− ISPM 41 on the international movement of used vehicles, machinery and 
equipmen t 
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
4 March 2021  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  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  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  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