It’s true those of us that live in Europe are very aware in of the effects on people’s livelihoods and the local ecology when disease and certain pests are allowed to spread through imports. And of course all the post-Brexit rules!
It doesn’t help when you get columnists like Matthew Parris writing things like this in The Times very recently, totally ignoring plant material import laws and the potentially devastating effects of their actions:
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
What unnerves me is reading (from another group I am a member of) how easy it is to import roses from the US.... or rather, that there are rose growers who there are happy to break the law and post plants to the UK.
Doesn't the duty of compliance lay with the purchaser rather than the vendor? An item which can be legally sold in one country can't necessarily be imported into the country of the purchaser. As long as the vendor accurately describes the item on the documentation they haven't done anything wrong.
@KT53 Yes. But. The vendor if they have a garden business may well know much more about the risks than the buyer who just thinks "Ooh, pretty... we can't get that here." So I think the onus is shared. People selling plants have a duty not to spread pathogens and deadly insects, too.
I never heard of the agapanthus problem that (I think) @Obelixx mentioned upthread (don't grow them), but I expect European agapanthus growers have.
Any plant vendor exporting from the US or anywhere else for that matter must comply with the plant phytosanitary regulations of the receiving country. So both vendor and purchaser are responsible for complying with the law and facing the consequences if they get caught and the initial onus is on the vendor.
In the case of roses from the US, according to US law:
“Roses exported to the EU must comply with EU legislation on plant health. The EU has laid down phytosanitary requirements to prevent the introduction and spread of organisms harmful to plants and plant products in the EU.
Roses imported to the EU must be accompanied by an official ”phytosanitary certificate” guaranteeing the phytosanitary conditions of the plants and plants products, as well as that the shipment has been officially inspected, complies with statutory requirements for entry into the EU, and is free of quarantine pests and other harmful pathogens. Phytosanitary certificates are issued by your National Plant Protection Office (NPPO).”
CBI, US Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Within the US, roses are even prohibited from being imported/exported from certain states to others because of Rose Rosette Disease, Japanese Beetles, Chilli Thrips etc.
All of the above still applies to the UK, but after the planned ‘bonfire of EU laws’, who knows..
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
The problem with all that is it doesn't stop individulas in the USA shipping plants and/or seeds to friends in other countries. I doubt if the majority are even aware of rules and plant health issues.
As for that agapanthus problem I heard about if from gardening friends who'd spent a few days away on an island just off the Brittany coast that is known for its extensive show of agapanthus. The regular residents are cutting the flower stalks form their aplants but 2/3rds of the homes are second homesand holiday lets so it's doubtful their agapanthus will receive preventive pruning.
I expect the problem to spread soon.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
In the case of roses from the US, according to US law:
“Roses exported to the EU must comply with EU legislation on plant health. The EU has laid down phytosanitary requirements to prevent the introduction and spread of organisms harmful to plants and plant products in the EU.
Roses imported to the EU must be accompanied by an official ”phytosanitary certificate” guaranteeing the phytosanitary conditions of the plants and plants products, as well as that the shipment has been officially inspected, complies with statutory requirements for entry into the EU, and is free of quarantine pests and other harmful pathogens. Phytosanitary certificates are issued by your National Plant Protection Office (NPPO).”
CBI, US Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
That’s not US law, that’s just telling you what the EU law is. I don’t think any rose exporter in the US would be charged with any crime in the US for not follow the above, (if they were selling wholesale to the EU and not completing the relevant export paperwork it may be a different matter, but I still think the issue is at point of entry).The same way if someone buys a plant in France while on holiday, it’s not the seller’s responsibility to ascertain the plants final destination, it is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure they follow the law regarding importing of there home country. Most online sites state that it is your responsibility to check the rules in your country etc and will send it on the basis if it’s confiscated that’s on you and most big companies won’t send stuff to certain places due to this, but they won’t know every country’s laws.
That’s not US law, that’s just telling you what the EU law is. I don’t think any rose exporter in the US would be charged with any crime in the US for not follow the above, (if they were selling wholesale to the EU and not completing the relevant export paperwork it may be a different matter, but I still think the issue is at point of entry).The same way if someone buys a plant in France while on holiday, it’s not the seller’s responsibility to ascertain the plants final destination, it is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure they follow the law regarding importing of there home country. Most online sites state that it is your responsibility to check the rules in your country etc and will send it on the basis if it’s confiscated that’s on you and most big companies won’t send stuff to certain places due to this, but they won’t know every country’s laws.
Sorry that is incorrect - if, as a US VENDOR and EXPORTER of plant material, you do not comply with and provide proof of the phytosanitary inspection and the correct certification required by the receiving country you cannot obtain an export certificate. Ergo you cannot legally export. I don’t know what the precise penalties for plants are if you fail to do this and get caught but I would imagine US border control are pretty hot on this. The US rose community is very aware of these issues so I doubt very much if any bona fide rose exporter would risk their business and their reputation, even if the fine was piddling. Doesn’t stop unscrupulous vendors or ignorant individuals of course.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Posts
It doesn’t help when you get columnists like Matthew Parris writing things like this in The Times very recently, totally ignoring plant material import laws and the potentially devastating effects of their actions:
I never heard of the agapanthus problem that (I think) @Obelixx mentioned upthread (don't grow them), but I expect European agapanthus growers have.
Any plant vendor exporting from the US or anywhere else for that matter must comply with the plant phytosanitary regulations of the receiving country. So both vendor and purchaser are responsible for complying with the law and facing the consequences if they get caught and the initial onus is on the vendor.
In the case of roses from the US, according to US law:
“Roses exported to the EU must comply with EU legislation on plant health. The EU has laid down phytosanitary requirements to prevent the introduction and spread of organisms harmful to plants and plant products in the EU.
Roses imported to the EU must be accompanied by an official ”phytosanitary certificate” guaranteeing the phytosanitary conditions of the plants and plants products, as well as that the shipment has been officially inspected, complies with statutory requirements for entry into the EU, and is free of quarantine pests and other harmful pathogens. Phytosanitary certificates are issued by your National Plant Protection Office (NPPO).”
CBI, US Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Within the US, roses are even prohibited from being imported/exported from certain states to others because of Rose Rosette Disease, Japanese Beetles, Chilli Thrips etc.
All of the above still applies to the UK, but after the planned ‘bonfire of EU laws’, who knows..
As for that agapanthus problem I heard about if from gardening friends who'd spent a few days away on an island just off the Brittany coast that is known for its extensive show of agapanthus. The regular residents are cutting the flower stalks form their aplants but 2/3rds of the homes are second homesand holiday lets so it's doubtful their agapanthus will receive preventive pruning.
I expect the problem to spread soon.
That’s not US law, that’s just telling you what the EU law is. I don’t think any rose exporter in the US would be charged with any crime in the US for not follow the above, (if they were selling wholesale to the EU and not completing the relevant export paperwork it may be a different matter, but I still think the issue is at point of entry).The same way if someone buys a plant in France while on holiday, it’s not the seller’s responsibility to ascertain the plants final destination, it is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure they follow the law regarding importing of there home country. Most online sites state that it is your responsibility to check the rules in your country etc and will send it on the basis if it’s confiscated that’s on you and most big companies won’t send stuff to certain places due to this, but they won’t know every country’s laws.
Sorry that is incorrect - if, as a US VENDOR and EXPORTER of plant material, you do not comply with and provide proof of the phytosanitary inspection and the correct certification required by the receiving country you cannot obtain an export certificate. Ergo you cannot legally export. I don’t know what the precise penalties for plants are if you fail to do this and get caught but I would imagine US border control are pretty hot on this. The US rose community is very aware of these issues so I doubt very much if any bona fide rose exporter would risk their business and their reputation, even if the fine was piddling. Doesn’t stop unscrupulous vendors or ignorant individuals of course.