Plants, plant products and other substances that are subject to plant health and quarantine

Regulation on Plant Quarantine. Language(s): Turkish. Number of pages: 172

The "Plant Quarantine Regulation" was reviewed and updated in order to modernise measures taking into account the current findings made in Türkiye and international plant protection organizations on phytosanitary and quarantine issues, to prevent problems that may arise due to harmful organisms in import and export, to eliminate the problems seen in practice and ensure uniformity, to adapt to developing technologies and changing Quarantine conditions, to enhance more effective measures for the protection of human, animal and environmental health.

The purpose of this Regulation is to regulate the procedures and principles regarding the phytosanitary and quarantine measures of plants, plant products and other substances entering and exiting Türkiye.

This Regulation covers the harmful organisms that are banned to enter into Türkiye and official controls to be carried out for phytosanitary purposes during the entry and exit of plants, plant products and other substances to and from the Customs Territory of the Republic of Türkiye.

Products brought into a free zone from another country or sent from a free zone to another country shall be subject to the provisions of this Regulation.

The Regulation includes definitions, Official Controls, Registration to the Plant Quarantine Registration and Tracking System, main issues related to entry and exit customs authorities, exports, plant health certificates, sampling and analysis, administrative sanctions, harmful organisms that are subject to quarantine and that hinder importation, harmful organisms that have limited existence in Türkiye, that are subject to quarantine and that hinder importation, harmful organisms that are subject to quarantine and that hinder importation in case they are found on some plants or plant products, specific requirements for importation of plants and plant products, quarantined harmful organisms that constitute an obstacle to import, quarantined harmful organisms that are found limited in Türkiye and constitute an obstacle to import, plants, plant products and other substances prohibited from entering Türkiye, specific conditions required for the import of plants and plant products.

The main changes throughout the Draft Regulation are set out in the following issues:

·        Registration in the Plant Quarantine Registration and Tracking System;

·        Products subject to a pest risk analysis;

·        Restrictions on the entry of high-risk plants, plant products and other substances;

·        Re-export controls.

In addition, the annexes of the Draft Regulation were updated and new harmful organisms were added.

Draft Regulation:

-        Annex-1/ Harmful Organisms Subject to Quarantine that Hinder to Import, A-Pest Organisms Subject to Quarantine whose Existence in Turkey is Unknown and Constitutes an Obstacle to Import;

-        Annex-2/ Pest Organisms Subject to Quarantine which are Found in Turkey in a Restricted Manner and which Hinder to Import;

-        Annex-4/Special Requirements for the Import of Plants and Herbal Products have been updated according to today's phytosanitary conditions;

-        Annex-11- Free Zone Circulation Form has been added to the Draft Regulation.