Plant Health Guide: passporting and marketing requirements

Plant passports and protected zones

Appendix D lists EC Protected Zones and plants and plant products which require passports to enter and move within them. Appendix K lists the EC codes to be used for Protected Zone ("ZP") plant passports. There is no EC legislation governing the format of "ZP" plant passports; in the United Kingdom three different systems are acceptable:

• the code "ZP" may appear on the passport followed by the country codes for all member states that have a protected zone for that organism. For example, for Begonia plants to enter a Protected Zone for Bemisia tabaci (tobacco whitefly), the plant passport would include the following: ZP - UK, FI, IRL, P, S. The consignment may then move freely throughout the United Kingdom and all other Protected Zones for Bemisia tabaci

• the code "ZP" may appear on the passport followed by just the country code of the consignment's intended destination. For example, to send Begonia plants to Finland, you could use the code ZP - FI. However, the consignment would not then be eligible to enter a Bemisia tabaci Protected Zone in any other country

• the code "ZP" may appear on the passport followed by the appropriate reference from the Annex to the EC Directive which lists Protected Zones (Commission Directive 2001/32/ EC (as amended)). For example, in the Annex to the Directive, Bemisia tabaci Protected Zones are listed as point a2. To send plants to a Bemisia tabaci Protected Zone you could therefore use the code ZP - a2. Using this code, the plants could enter all Bemisia tabaci Protected Zones. Refer to Appendix K for the correct EC code

Please contact the SERPID Horticulture and Marketing Unit if you need further information on Protected Zones.