UK Plant Passporting Update

As of the 1st of January, following the UK’s exit from the EU on the 31st of December, the rules for your plant passporting labels will change in line with the GB (England, Scotland and Wales) Plant Passporting System. This change means that as of the 1st of January 2021, the EU Plant Passport will not be a valid document in the UK, there will be no grace change-over period for this alteration. Dura-ID have received the following guidance from the HTA (Horticultural Trade Association) “Plants can show an EU plant passport, it does not have to be removed, but it will not constitute a UK PP, which must be added to the products for onward travel and to provide the principles of the plant passporting system of traceability and plant health assurance.” Following our exit from the EU – the UK will be undertaking its own UK plant passporting regulations and the amendments to your labels will be as follows: There will no longer be the need for an EU flag on your label templates. Your title section will now have to state ‘UK Plant Passport’ not EU Plant Passport. The Data sections will be as follows: A – Genus & Species (both included where possible) B – Issuers Number (no longer required to put GB at the beginning, just your company number as issued by plant health) C – Traceability Code (as prior) D – Country of Origin Country of Origin Amendments As of the 1st of January – you will be required to denote the country of origin for specific species for 12 months after the purchase and resell of plants due to Xylella Fastidiosa high risk hosts and Platanus. Find the latest update on the Government website for the affected species list. How can Dura-ID help? Since the plant passporting regulation was introduced in December 2019, we have helped customers by stocking various formats ready for overprinting. We will be amending our stocked plant passport labels to accommodate the changes and as before, we are happy to help you amend your own templates within HLS. If you have already labelled your plants with an EU Plant Passport, do not worry. This will not need to be removed, you will simply be required to add the additional UK Plant Passport. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our horticultural team on 01480 274 230 if you need any assistance!