International trade and phytosanitary matters

The importance of international trade by Dutch companies is increasing every year. This means that high standards are required of the products as a result of international regulations.

Nothing is more frustrating to exporting and importing companies of breeding material, seeds and young plants than trade barriers. These companies are very much internationally oriented. These companies produce an ever increasing amount of seeds, cuttings and young plants for use within the Netherlands and for exporting to other countries. The Netherlands is the world leader for distribution of plant material.

Plantum NL seeks import and export priority by:

• Removal of phytosanitary, tariff and trade obstacles wherever Plantum NL and its members spot them.

Plantum NL will:

• contact governments to remove obstacles to imports and exports.
• attempt to reopen borders that are (temporarily) closed in crisis situations.
• document obstacles and share this knowledge with its members.

Due to the new EU directive 2000/29EG from January 1, 2005 all imported cuttings and seeds of sunflower, tomato, capsicum, allium in the EU will remain under custom’s supervision until the Plant Protection Service has inspected the lots. Inspection should take place at the “EU-border”.
Until now it is possible in The Netherlands to have the imported products to be inspected at the importer. This means a drastic change in logistics.

Dutch seed companies and propagators are worried about the inspection at the EU border because of the possible lost of quality due to time taking procedures, mixing up of packages, bad climate conditions in depot or contamination with plant diseases from other shipments. Therefore Plantum NL wants it to be possible in special cases to phytosanitary inspection at the company under facilities and additional regulation for transport and packaging.

Other EU countries are less focused on logistics.